Some fierce revisionist history has invaded a Vikings fan base that largely hopes for the best but secretly (sometimes openly) expects the worst.
The revisionist take: The Vikings should have signed Sam Darnold to an extension after his Pro Bowl season in 2024 instead of handing the keys to J.J. McCarthy. Had they done that it would be Minnesota and not Seattle, Darnold’s new team, preparing for the NFC title game.
The truth: Almost everyone was on board with the Vikings’ logic in the moment. Darnold had been an unexpectedly very good bridge quarterback in a 14-win season in 2024, but McCarthy was the future, Darnold was expensive and he had folded under pressure in the final two games last year. It was time to find out if McCarthy was ready and hopefully reap the benefits of his low-cost contract combined with a talented veteran roster.
And the Seahawks have a better overall roster than the Vikings, enabling them to win big even when Darnold merely manages a game.
Only four months ago, this seemed like a brilliant idea, as Patrick Reusse and I talked about on Monday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Let’s dive into more of what we thought we knew at the start of today’s 10 things to know:
- Lingering on the Vikings’ decision for a little longer, the plan even seemed smart after the team’s season opener. McCarthy struggled through three quarters against the Bears but then delivered a masterful fourth-quarter comeback. He even earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Only when McCarthy struggled against Atlanta ... and was injured for five games while Carson Wentz played more efficiently ... and was mostly bad in his return ... and then was injured again ... while Darnold was leading the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed ... did it look bad.
- The part of it that seemed like wishful thinking, perhaps, was that McCarthy would be good enough to lead them through what looked in September like the best division in the NFL. The Lions and Packers were loaded. The Bears were on the rise. The Vikings were all-in on free agency in order to keep up. As it turns out, the NFC North was downright mediocre. The Lions slumped. The Packers were an enigma and then too injured. The Bears claimed a soft division thanks to a billion miracle comebacks.
- Around the same time, the Wild looked like a franchise at a crossroads. Star Kirill Kaprizov hadn’t yet signed an extension. Would they need to trade him and retool? Their roster looked like it had a lot of old and young players, but not enough prime talent. Then Kaprizov re-signed, Matt Boldy took a big step forward, Jesper Wallstedt stopped allowing any goals and Bill Guerin swung for Quinn Hughes. It’s a totally different franchise now.
- And all through the summer, we assumed the Lynx and Liberty were on a collision course for the WNBA Finals. Both of them ended up losing before the finals to Phoenix, which then lost to Las Vegas.
- It’s all a good reminder that situations in sports are fluid. Darnold was once a bust. C.J. Stroud looked like a franchise quarterback as a rookie in 2023. On Sunday, he looked as lost as an undrafted rookie free agent. The Broncos’ elation in beating the Bills in overtime quickly turned to deflation when second-year QB Bo Nix was lost for the season with an ankle fracture.
- The Bills’ loss cost Sean McDermott his job. He went 98-50 (.662) in nine seasons, including 8-8 with two AFC title game appearances in the playoffs. A similar résumé led to an extension for Packers coach Matt LaFleur. He’s 76-40 (.655) and 3-6 in the postseason.
- Anthony Edwards is somehow getting even better.
- The Gophers women’s basketball team served up a rare clunker on Sunday.
- The Twins spent $14 million over two seasons on veteran catcher Victor Caratini. What does that mean for Ryan Jeffers?
- Star Tribune Twins writer Bobby Nightengale will help dissect that question and more on Tuesday’s podcast.
