Who is Sam Darnold?
No, seriously. The Vikings quarterback keeps his thoughts so close to the chest that Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins took a different approach in crafting a profile of the man who's set to lead the team into the playoffs against the L.A. Rams on Monday.
That is, Scoggins spoke to more than three dozen people and asked them to describe Darnold. A few key things emerged. He's committed to his routine, for one.
"He's very much present in this building a lot, and that routine does not change in how he goes about the week," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "You hear quarterbacks, especially some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play, talk about their routine down to the minute throughout a game prep week. Sam has been no different."
When wide receiver Thayer Thomas played a round of golf with Darnold in July, he also took note of the quarterback's acumen as a competitor.
"After the first nine holes, it was even or I was beating him by one stroke," Thomas said. "His competitive edge showed up out of nowhere, and he smoked me on the back nine. He shot close to par."
Darnold is also quite the comedian — a Will Ferrell fan who will toss out a quote from nowhere.
"He's one of those people who is funny without trying to be funny. He doesn't even know he's funny," linebacker Pat Jones II said. "He'll just say something, and you'll start laughing."
So, what did everyone else have to say about Darnold? Read all about it at the link below, plus a few select links that will catch you up to speed on Monday's game.
