Sam Darnold Siblings: Getting to Know Franki Darnold

Samuel Richard Darnold, born June 5, 1997, is an American professional football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.

He played college football at USC, winning the Archie Griffin Award in 2016, and was drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018.

After starting for the Jets from 2018 to 2020, Darnold played for the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers before joining the Vikings in 2024.

Recently, he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after a career-best performance against the Atlanta Falcons, completing 22 of 28 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns.

Siblings

Sam has one sibling, an older sister named Franki Darnold.

Franki was a standout volleyball player at the University of Rhode Island, where she achieved significant success, including ranking third in school history for kills.

She is now involved in coaching with the university’s volleyball team.

College career

Darnold played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) from 2016 to 2017, where he quickly established himself as a standout quarterback.

He was highly recruited out of San Clemente High School in California, recognized as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation.

Darnold redshirted his first year at USC in 2015, allowing him to develop his skills and learn the system without losing a year of eligibility.

In the 2016 season, he took over as the starting quarterback midway through the year and made an immediate impact, leading USC to a 9-3 record.

His performance in the Rose Bowl against Penn State was particularly memorable; he threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns, which solidified his reputation as a top-tier quarterback.

The following season in 2017, Darnold entered with high expectations and was considered a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

He threw for 4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, showcasing his arm strength and ability to perform under pressure.

Also Read: Pat Spencer Siblings: Get to Know Cam and Will Spencer

NFL career

Darnold was selected third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft.

In his rookie season, he started 13 games and completed 57.7% of his passes for 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.

While he showed flashes of potential, he also faced challenges typical of a rookie quarterback.

Over the next two seasons with the Jets, Darnold experienced both ups and downs.

He dealt with injuries and inconsistent play but demonstrated moments of brilliance, including a standout game in 2020 where he threw for over 400 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In April 2021, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers in hopes that he would revitalize their offense.

His first few games were promising; he won three of his first four starts.

However, injuries and turnovers plagued him throughout the season, leading to a disappointing finish where he ended up with 2,527 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

After one season with the Panthers, Darnold signed with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2022.

Initially serving as a backup behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, he had limited playing time but was part of a successful team that made a deep playoff run.

In December 2023, Darnold joined the Minnesota Vikings as they sought additional depth at quarterback.

His recent performances have shown promise; notably, in December 2024, he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after an impressive game against the Atlanta Falcons where he completed 22 of 28 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns.

Accolades

Notably, Darnold won the 2016 Archie Griffin Award, which is presented to college football’s most valuable player, making him the first freshman to receive this honor since its inception in 1999.

Additionally, he was recognized as the 2016 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and was a finalist for the Manning Award, which honors the nation’s top quarterback.

Darnold’s performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl was exceptional; he was named the Rose Bowl Offensive Player of the Game after setting records with five passing touchdowns and 473 total yards, leading USC to victory over Penn State.

He also earned multiple honors during his college career, including being named to the AP All-Bowl Team and the ESPN Pac-12 All-Bowl Team.

At USC, Darnold received the Most Inspirational Player Award and the Bob Chandler Award, which recognizes an underclassman for outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement, and character.

In high school, he was named the Orange County Register Offensive Player of the Year and received the All-CIF Southwest Division Offensive MVP award.