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MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones were swiftly dumped into the deep end of NFL debuts, shouldering heavy pressure as young quarterback in the country’s largest media market.

As is often the case in this sink-or-swim league for players at the sport’s most demanding position, the results have failed to match the high hopes raised by their heralded arrival. In what could well be their last chance to convince the league they can still be capable starters for years to come, Darnold and Jones will lead their teams into the same season opener Sunday when the Vikings visit the New York Giants.

Whatever the outcome, it likely won’t bode well for the loser.

Darnold, in his first year with Minnesota after backing up Brock Purdy for the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers last season, was the third overall pick by the New York Jets out of Southern California in 2018. He’s the last rookie quarterback to win a Week 1 start, but the Jets went 4-12 and traded him three years later to the Carolina Panthers. In 56 career starts, Darnold has 55 interceptions and a 21-35 record.

Though he has found first-string status again with the Vikings, Darnold was clearly signed (for one year and $10 million) to be a temporary bridge from the departed Kirk Cousins to the rookie J.J. McCarthy. He has only been assured of keeping the job because of McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury last month.

“As a young player you can definitely get excited about what the future might hold or what things might look like, but at the end of the day you’ve got to be where your feet are,” Darnold said. “This sport, this position, it’s hard enough as it is. If you start worrying about the wrong things, it’ll come back to bite you.”

Jones was the sixth overall pick by the Giants in 2019 out of Duke as the successor to a fading Eli Manning, whom he replaced two weeks into that rookie season. Though Jones also won that first start, with 336 yards passing and touchdowns on the road against Tampa Bay, he and the Giants struggled through his first three years.

His breakthrough in 2022, which included an NFL-best interception rate and only eight turnovers in 16 games with a career-high 708 rushing yards and the first win by the Giants in the playoffs in 11 seasons, prompted a four-year, $160 million contract that put him among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. What followed in 2023 was simply interceptions, sacks and injuries. Jones missed three games with a neck problem, then tore his ACL in November.

“I spent some time on the sideline, watching the game and wishing you were out there,” Jones said. “I’m excited to be back, certainly grateful and very appreciative of all the help I’ve had throughout this whole journey and people who have done a lot to help me get back.”
The Vikings were partially responsible for the new deal the Giants gave Jones, after he shredded their secondary for two 300-yard performances in a four-game span including the wild card round win at Minnesota on Jan. 15, 2023. With no more guaranteed money on his deal after the season, the Giants would find moving on easier to manage with only his remaining signing bonus proration (about $22.2 million) hitting their salary cap if they were to release him.

Just like Darnold when he was with the Jets, Jones has faced an uphill climb trying to win — and win over the fans — in the New York market.

“Seriously, probably one of the toughest jobs in the league,” Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton said. “But he embraces it, does it well.”

Darnold’s arm strength has always been an asset, but the Vikings have been impressed by the way he’s picked up head coach Kevin O’Connell’s complicated offense in six months of study and practice. He was also voted by his new teammates as one of eight captains for the season.

“He can really spin it. He’s a true leader. I’m excited for him. He already blocks the outside noise out, because I feel like he’s going to prove a lot of people wrong and show who he really is as a quarterback with this opportunity,” running back Aaron Jones said. “It’s not about what you’ve done in the past. It’s about now. I truly do believe in him. We’ve had the chance to work with him, play with him, and he’s a special talent. A lot of people are sleeping on him, but he’s going to prove them wrong. Early favorite, comeback player of the year.”