By: Lindsey Young
It had been six years since Sam Darnold last played in front of hometown fans.
The Vikings quarterback happily obliged numerous ticket requests for last week's game at SoFi Stadium, located just 60 miles from where he grew up near San Clemente, California. Originally drafted by the Jets in 2018, Darnold had played the Rams there once before, but at a stadium eerily empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's always special going back to L.A.," he told Twin Cities media members a day before the Vikings headed out west.
For Darnold, it's those friends and family members who have kept him grounded throughout his NFL career.
Among those in the QB's fan club Thursday was Kolohe Andino – pro surfer, 2020 Olympian and, more importantly to this story, a near and dear friend of Darnold's.
He and his wife Madison made the drive from Andino and Darnold's shared hometown for their first visit to SoFi, settling into seats in Section 103 that gave them a perfect view of Darnold's opening-drive touchdown pass to tight end Josh Oliver.
The Andino family doesn't base its NFL fandom on proximity but rather follows Darnold wherever he goes.
"We're all-in on the Vikings this year," said Andino, who wore a brand-new, purple No. 14 jersey. "I mean, we want the Vikings to win the Super Bowl. We're such Sam fans."
The two professional athletes grew up learning from their fathers how to throw a football and ride the waves, respectively. They wouldn't cross paths until adulthood, however, when Andino discovered a home-grown kid was starring at USC.
"I was stoked to root for a local guy. I ended up being a college football fan for that season he was quarterbacking," Andino said. "What we do is cool as surfers or whatever, but I just remember thinking he was such a star because I got to watch him on TV, and it was rad.
"I remember seeing him at one of our local beaches and he was just hanging out with his friends, and I was like, 'Whoa. There he is,' " Andino added, admiration still clear in his voice.
The two eventually had the opportunity to meet and quickly hit it off, easily building a genuine connection.
Andino chuckles about it now, acknowledging how cliché a celebrity friendship can be assumed from the outside.
He gets it. But it's different with him and Darnold, the blond wave rider notes.
"There's a whole phoniness to the 'two professional athletes from different sports are friends' thing," he said, "but because it's not phony, that's why Sam and I have stayed friends."
'Just a good dude'
The same can be said for Darnold within the Vikings locker room.
Enter the space on a Friday afternoon or watch him interacting with teammates walking off the practice field, and it's easy to forget Darnold was new to Minnesota just this offseason.
It's been a seamless fit for the 27-year-old, whose locker at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center sits between tight end Johnny Mundt and running back Aaron Jones, Sr., a fellow free agent addition.
"He's an awesome, awesome dude. Amazing to be around," Jones recently said of Darnold. "A joy to come to work with every day."
Jones noted Darnold's wittiness and propensity for jokes, quipping you never know what the QB has up his sleeve.
"I love the guy," Jones said.
Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips earlier this season shared similar observations of Darnold's fit not only into Kevin O'Connell's scheme but into the team overall.
"Sam's just a good dude. He's fun to be around," Phillips said. "Loves ball, loves his teammates. Likes hanging with the guys, likes being a part of part of the team, part of football."
The phrase "locker room culture" can sometimes be flippantly tossed around, a buzzy way to define team vibes at either end of the spectrum. But when it comes to the 2024 Vikings and Darnold's ability to immediately assimilate into the family, he says it's pretty simple.
"It's how everyone gets along here. You know, it's not something you have to really overthink," he said. "It's just like, can guys come in here, grab lunch and just hang out with each other?
"I feel like everyone here really gets along – even guys that I don't naturally spend a ton of time with, some of the defensive guys … some of the defensive guys that are quiet, I feel like even when you're passing in the hallway, or up at lunch, we're always able to have conversations and just kick it. I think that's one of the coolest things about this team."
Harrison Smith has seen 13 different locker room combinations since being drafted by the Vikings in 2012.
The All-Pro safety reminds at the culmination of every season that "no two locker rooms are the same" from year to year, and that adage remains true.
Smith recognizes the specialness of this one, though, and the fact Darnold and many other free agent additions reflect character similar to that of so many on the roster.
It's part of what makes Minnesota the right place – and right time – for Darnold.
"Just the guys and how we are, how we tend to play for each other, and enjoy playing, and enjoy what it takes to be great," Smith noted. "And Sam as a player, not to talk about other organizations or anything, but coming to a spot where he's got good people around him, he's got good coaches and he can really show who he is as a player – I think that's what everybody's kind of starting to see."
Riding the waves
Darnold's roller-coaster career has been well-documented.
But while the backdrop and surrounding cast has changed over the years, what hasn't is who he is and how much he loves the game.
It's something Andino has admired so much about Darnold, the way his friend hasn't lost sight of who he is despite facing adversity along the way.
"Football's such a team sport, from the owners all the way down to the trainers and everyone. Everyone has to be aligned. Whereas surfing, you're just out there yourself dealing with the ocean – which is hard due to unpredictable variables in a different way, but it's just you," Andino reflected. "So for Sam, I felt like – he was just always cool acting the same, going about his business the same.
"I know how competitive he is, and I also know how hard he works and how bad he wants it," he added.
Darnold is grateful for Andino and the way the athlete – three years the quarterback's elder – has passed along takeaways from his own career that's experienced ebbs and flows.
"Kolohe being a professional athlete, just going through the grind and also going through a ton of ups and downs … when a lot of people publicly know that you're going through a lot of ups and downs, that can be tough," Darnold said. "So I think he and I just related in that way, and also the way we work off the field – whether it's treating our bodies right, making sure we're working out.
"We always talk about being gritty," he added with a smile. "You kind of have to have that – we have that gritty mindset."
Andino shared similar thoughts about his connection with Darnold, noting they share a passion for their craft and "nose-to-the-grindstone" mentality. The two of them often work out together during the offseason – though their regimens don't often look the same.
"[We go to this] one-stop shop, physical therapy/workout zone with a basketball court – I don't shoot hoops, but Sam shoots hoops – and it's a lot of different types of training. But Sam's trying to get better and strong, and I'm literally trying to watch what I eat and stay small and as loose as possible," Andino quipped.
"I'm very proud of him, how he's just been steady on the course," Andino later added in a more earnest, serious tone.
What is it that allows Darnold to maintain that confidence and tune out the noise of external criticism or expectations that change week to week?
For Darnold, it's been imperative to stick to his huddles – both on and off the field.
There's the previously mentioned huddle of loved ones who help him keep a level head during the highest highs or lowest lows.
He emphasized a core group of "really good friends" from high school and some from his time at USC. There are some who – like Andino – don't even play football.
"We're always chatting. We're in group texts together and everything, and they're always there to support me," Darnold said. "But also if things are going really good, they're always there to kind of remind me, 'Hey, man – you're not that cool.' "
He first and foremost credits his family, including his late grandparents and his dad, mom and sister, who have always been there to support in all areas of life. From summer drives to his grandfather's home in Palm Springs or road trips to visit family friends in Utah, to family time at much-anticipated USC games, Darnold is forever thankful for the time spent building that strong foundation.
"My dad's cousin had season tickets for USC football, so we would get to go to one or two games a year at the Coliseum. As a kid, that was always my favorite thing to do," he reminisced. "Once I actually got out on the field, playing two-hand touch or even tackle with my friends, in the yard, those were always my favorite memories.
"And we would road trip a lot, which was some of the best times as a family, spending all that time together in the car – whether it was [picking on] at each other or having fun playing car games," Darnold laughed.
"[My ability to stay grounded] has a lot to do with the close friends I have and my parents who raised me the right way and continued to push me," he added.
Fresh start, fast start
Darnold found a fresh start and change of scenery in Minnesota this season, and though there have been recent bumps in the road, he's grateful to have success with his new game-day huddle, as well.
Through his first seven games as a Viking, he is 127-of-189 passing (a career-high 67.2 completion percentage) for 1,610 yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. His overall passer rating thus far is 107.2.
Darnold's built chemistry with the offense and completed touchdown passes to seven different teammates, including five TDs to phenom Justin Jefferson.
"I think the open arms that everyone has had since I've gotten here … have been amazing. Just to be able to feel that comfort here, you know, it's crucial. It's crucial to being able to go out there and play with confidence," Darnold said. "I think that's one of the biggest things that's overlooked, is how comfortable someone is in the facility, with his teammates. That just allows you to go out there and play free."
He also emphasized earlier this season his relationship with O'Connell, Phillips and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, who previously teamed with Darnold on the 2018 Jets.
"It's awesome to be able to have a coach and staff that believes in you," Darnold said. "I think that's kind of another reason I feel like we've been able to respond to some adversity in these games is because that trust never waivers throughout games."
Darnold's start to the 2024 season has caught the attention of pundits across the league while also inspiring fans and friends alike.
"He's been crushing it this season, and it's just rad. He's so humble and works so hard, and he's really steadfast on his plan and on knowing who he is," Andino said. "For me, I always had a hard time with that particular zone of competitive mindset and being, so it was really inspiring to see him be steadfast."
Andino saw just that during Thursday night's tough loss to the Rams, during which Darnold confidently rode the waves despite choppy conditions.
Darnold finished his outing 18-of-25 passing for 240 yards and two touchdowns for a passer rating of 128.8 – certainly respectable stats but unsatisfactory to him considering the final outcome.
Despite the frustration of back-to-back losses, Darnold maintained his even-keel demeanor and belief in this Vikings team.
"I have great chemistry with K.O. and all the coaches. All the players in that locker room are great dudes, first and foremost, and really good players, as well," he said. "We have a really good team. We've just got to continue to do the little things right. If we do that, we'll be all right.
"I know we're going to be a really good offense and really good team," Darnold said. "It's little things we can control, so we're just going to look ourselves in the mirror, watch the tape and get better from it."
