Bill Belichick Points Finger at Jets; Says Everyone Likes Sam Darnold

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Sam Darnold
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings took a shot on Sam Darnold being their veteran placeholder this off-season. Minnesota beat out other landing spots by providing the best fit. Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick knows it has always been about the fit.

New York Jets fumbled away Sam Darnold

No one gave the Vikings a chance to succeed in 2024 because of who they perceived Sam Darnold to be. The problem is that Kevin O’Connell never cared about any of that and knew what Darnold could be. He isn’t the only one it seems, as Bill Belichick has thrown the Jets under the bus as well.

“I’ll say this, everybody has like Darnold except the Jets. The people at Carolina that I talked to, they really liked him. He was with the Rams, though not for very long, they liked him. I think they wanted to re-sign him. He was looking for more of an opportunity than to play behind Stafford. I know that Kevin, and some of the coaches in Minnesota, they really like this guy too. Seemed like the only people that didn’t like Darnold were at the Jets.”

Bill Belichick on Sam Darnold (Pat McAfee Show)

It shouldn’t be a shock at all that the New York Jets ruined a quarterback. The franchise has been a mess for years. Short of Aaron Rodgers picking to play there, they would probably be in a world of hurt right now as well. It also isn’t a surprise that O’Connell likes his quarterback. It actually appears that the Minnesota Vikings coach may be closer than he was even with the last signal caller.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Give Sam Darnold Injury Update

Minnesota was dealt something of a crushing blow when they lost rookie J.J. McCathy for the year. Darnold was always going to start with the job, but he’s playing like he never intended to give it away. It’s hard not to like a player like that.

Bill Belichick thinks the Minnesota Vikings are for real

After winning a boatload of Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, it’s probably fair to believe Bill Belichick knows a thing or two about good football. He has seen what the Minnesota Vikings are doing and offered his thoughts on the Pat McAfee Show.

“Well, I think you’ve definitely got to be on the lookout for them. It’ll be interesting to see how they can sustain this. I’ve always said it’s a lot easier to get to the top than it is to stay on top… When those teams and those players can excel week after week even though they’re facing that type of targeting from their opponents, those are the measures of the great players and the real champions. I don’t think anybody is looking past Minnesota. Not that they were before, but I don’t think anybody is looking past them now. Their opponents in the future are probably saying this is how we measure our program. How do we do against, right now, one of the top two or three teams in the league.”

Belichick on the Minnesota Vikings (Pat McAfee Show)

Every opponent is going to give the Vikings their best shot from here on out. They really shouldn’t expect to catch anyone by surprise. That starts this weekend against the Green Bay Packers, and they’ll likely face Matt LaFleur’s starting quarterback again too.

Related: Kevin O’Connell Gave Updates on the Other Minnesota Vikings Injuries Too

Just how long Minnesota can keep this going remains to be seen. Sam Darnold shouldn’t be expected to lead the Vikings to a 17-win season. He is capable of getting the job done on a weekly basis though, and that isn’t a question any longer.

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