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Sam Darnold's record against every NFL team

Profile Picture: Ashley Anderson

May 13th, 2021

*This article has since been updated to reflect Sam Darnold's record against each NFL team as of Oct. 24, 2021.


After a tumultuous three-year tenure with the New York Jets, quarterback Sam Darnold has found a new home with the Carolina Panthers.

The former No. 3 overall draft pick was traded to Carolina ahead of the 2021 NFL season, in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick and second- and fourth-round picks in 2022.

Darnold, a star college quarterback at USC, endured two coaching changes, a rash of injuries, and finished with a 13-25 record in New York.

Now he will compete under second-year coach Matt Rhule and rejoin former Jets teammate Robby Anderson, who signed with the Panthers in 2020.

Let's look at Darnold's career, as we break down his regular-season record against every NFL team.

Darnold vs. the Buffalo Bills

Darnold's best record against an AFC East opponent is a 2-3 mark against the Buffalo Bills.

In his first start against Buffalo, a Week 14 matchup in 2018, Darnold threw for 170 yards, a touchdown, and one interception, with fellow rookie quarterback Josh Allen on the other sideline.

Darnold missed the three previous games (including one against Buffalo) because of a foot injury.

With a 27-23 win in Week 14, the Jets snapped a six-game losing streak. Darnold led the team on a game-winning drive when he completed a 37-yard pass to Anderson to set up a rushing touchdown by Elijah McGuire.

To kick off the 2020 season, Darnold squared off with his division opponent but fell, 27-17. The Jets were projected to own the worst record in the league in 2020 and lost their next 12 games.

Darnold vs. the Detroit Lions

Darnold got his first NFL start in Week 1 of the 2018 season, against the Detroit Lions. 

The game was played on Monday Night Football and made Darnold, at 21 years and 97 days old, the youngest opening-day starting quarterback since the AFL/NFL merger.

On his first pass, Darnold threw an interception returned for a touchdown. He rebounded to finish the game with 198 yards and two touchdown passes, as the Jets triumphed, 48-17.

Darnold vs. the Dallas Cowboys

Ahead of the 2019 season, the Jets were a dark-horse candidate to win the AFC East, with new head coach Adam Gase. Multiple injuries on the roster quickly derailed the season, along with Darnold's diagnosis of mononucleosis in September.

The second-year QB missed three games, before he returned in Week 6 to play the Dallas Cowboys.

Darnold tallied 388 passing yards and two scores, including a 92-yard touchdown pass to Anderson. The Jets won, 24-22, and Darnold was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Darnold wasn't so lucky in his second meeting against Dallas on Oct. 3, 2021. The veteran QB threw for 301 yards, but was picked off twice, as his Panthers fell 36-28 to the Cowboys.

Darnold vs. the Las Vegas Raiders

The 2020 season was much worse for New York.

In Week 13, with New York at 0-11, the team hosted the Las Vegas Raiders.

Darnold recorded 186 passing yards, three total touchdowns, and an interception, in a 31–28 loss.

The game marked the first of the season where Darnold threw more touchdown passes than interceptions.

He went on to finish the season with 2,208 passing yards, nine touchdown passes, and 11 interceptions, along with 217 rushing yards and two rushing scores, in 12 games played.

Darnold vs. the Los Angeles Rams

Two games after the Jets' narrow loss to the Raiders during the 2020 season, Darnold faced the nine-win Rams.

Against a playoff contender, the winless Jets managed to upset the Rams, 23-20, as Darnold completed 70.9% of his passes for 207 yards and a touchdown.

The next game, New York won again against Cleveland, another playoff team in 2020.

The Jets finished the season with a 2-14 record.

Darnold vs. the Miami Dolphins

While with the Jets, Darnold defeated AFC East foe Miami just once in five tries.

In his second meeting with the Dolphins during his rookie season, Darnold threw a career-high four interceptions.

His lone victory against Miami occurred in Week 14 of the 2019 season. Darnold racked up 270 passing yards, two touchdowns, and tossed an interception in a 22-21 win.

Despite a 1-7 start to the 2019 season, the Jets won six games to close out the season with a 7-9 record. Darnold finished with 3,023 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, plus 62 rushing yards and two rushing scores, in 13 games played.

Darnold vs. the New England Patriots

Darnold's most infamous AFC East opponent, New England, defeated the quarterback in all three meetings.

His most notorious game occurred on Monday Night Football in 2019. In a Week 7 contest, Darnold lost a fumble and tied his career high in interceptions (four), as the Jets put up a measly 154 yards of total offense in a 33-0 Patriots victory.

Darnold was mic'd up for NFL Films and was caught saying "I'm seeing ghosts," while the Jets trailed 24-0 in the first half.

Darnold will battle former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady twice in the 2021 season, now that Darnold is a member of the Panthers, who play in the same division as Brady's Buccaneers.

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