Sam Darnold earning respect by not backing down from Seahawks defense's trash talk

There has been a batch of chatter from Seattle Seahawks defenders this offseason, pinch nan portion regularly trash talking nan offense.

The thought is that nan Seahawks' defenders want to show which broadside of nan shot reigns ultimate successful Seattle.

“The first OTA nan defense conscionable picked up wherever we near disconnected successful position of, conscionable ... chatter,” information Julian Love said during OTAs, per Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. “Just, guys are conscionable talking s--- each play."

But backmost Sam Darnold hasn't taken that trash talk lying down. In fact, he's giving it correct backmost to his teammates connected nan different broadside of nan ball, albeit conservatively so.

As Love revealed, Darnold has been firing backmost pinch what he equates to "dad jokes," which nan Seahawks information appreciates.

“It’s, like, those type of benignant of jabs,” Love said. “But you tin tell: ‘OK, he has immoderate fire, to him.’ He’s utilized to being 1 of nan guys, 1 of nan boys. He’s not a quadrate type of guy. He’s conscionable ... he’s cool. He’s cool pinch dishing backmost a bit."

Head coach Mike Macdonald has besides loved what he's seen and heard from his caller quarterback.

“What you emotion astir Sam is he’s conscionable a dude, man,” Macdonald said aft nan first believe of minicamp connected Tuesday. “He’s, like, 1 of nan guys. There’s a consciousness of he’s 1 of nan guys. So he’s correct location pinch them.

“But there’s immoderate there’s immoderate s--- to him. Like, don’t messiness pinch him. You know, he’s sewage that separator to him, that competitiveness. And nan guys respect that.”

Not everything Darnold does has impressed his teammates, though.

According to The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar, wide receiver Cooper Kupp roasted Darnold a spot for being bad astatine play and having a very elemental paper of foods he likes to eat that led to a comparison to Kupp's 6-year-old child.

"When asked astir being amazed by thing he’s learned astir Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp says Sam isn't a bully golfer and has basal nutrient sensation buds, 2 traits Cooper says are atypical of quarterbacks," Dugar posted connected societal media. "Says Sam offered to spell to meal and Cooper balked astatine nan first suggestions because they were truthful elemental (they still went retired to eat, though)."

"Basically, Cooper joked that upon proceeding Sam's suggestions it sounded for illustration they were conscionable going to get chickenhearted strips and fries," Dugar continued. "Cooper past said that's fundamentally what his six-year-old eats astatine home, truthful he'd alternatively do thing a small better."

Eating habits aside, it's beautiful clear that Darnold is winning complete his teammates successful his first play arsenic nan starter successful Seattle, which is besides a run that is important for his career.

Darnold is retired to beryllium that his unthinkable showing pinch nan Minnesota Vikings successful 2024 wasn't a fluke and that he's each spot of nan franchise backmost he looked for illustration past season.

On nan flip side, he doesn't person a ton of information pinch nan Seahawks, arsenic Seattle has an retired successful his statement successful 2026 and nan squad already has a imaginable replacement successful Jalen Milroe, who was drafted successful nan 3rd round.

If Darnold tin reply nan bell, he'll unafraid his spot arsenic nan Seahawks' starter for astatine slightest different year. If not, Seattle could move to Milroe, depending connected if he's fresh aft a developmental twelvemonth successful 2025.