When McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason, however, Darnold was thrust into action as their permanent starter—and has had quite the career resurgence for himself. The 27-year-old has thrown for career highs in passing yards (3,299) and touchdowns (28) over the Vikings' first 13 games while leading them to an 11–2 record.

Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold's career-defining game against the Falcons​ on Sunday was enough to get a big nod from the NFL.