The Vikings and Sam Darnold had a successful NFL season before ultimately losing to the Rams in the wildcard game. The quarterback himself enjoyed an outstanding season, setting personal bests in passing yards (4,319), passing touchdowns (35), and completion rate (66.2%). Given all that, it seems obvious that the Vikings would continue with Darnold, right? Apparently not. With the Vikings’ No. 14 entering free agency, many questions about his future have arisen. However, the bright side is that no matter what happens in his career, his relationship with his girlfriend appears to be flourishing.

Recently, Darnold and his girlfriend, Katie Hoofnagle, attended the NFL Honors ceremony. Hoofnagle posted a picture from the event and expressed an emotional message about how proud she is of Darnold. This, of course, prompted a response from the Vikings QB, who commented on the post, “Love you the most.“ The couple has been together for several years now, and it’s wonderful to see the love, care, and respect they have for each other.

Talking about where Darnold could end up in the 2025 season, the Vikings HC had some thoughts. When discussing Darnold’s future, O’Connell mentioned that he was sure that Darnold would be a starter in 2025, but the HC did not mention where. Well, if it’s not at the Vikings, could it be at the Raiders? This could quite possibly happen as according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are “likely to have some interest” in Darnold. It does make sense, right?

The Raiders do need someone at QB and they would also want to save their draft picks, that means a trade is the most plausible way forward for them and Darnold would certainly help improve their current roster. There has been a regime change at the Raiders and Carroll can definitely look towards Darnold as he will bring that sense of calmness that the team certainly requires. Well, it would be interesting to see what the Raiders approach will be. The Vikings on their end will need to make sure they deal with the Darnold situation quickly, as there are bound to be many teams circling the prolific QB.

Sam Darnold’s teammate believes he will be back

Amidst all the discussions about Darnold’s future with the Vikings, a key point is J.J. McCarthy. The rookie QB was selected by the Vikings 10th overall in the 2024 draft. Unfortunately, due to an injury, he missed his entire rookie season. Now he is set to return for the 2025 season and could potentially become the Vikings’ starting QB.

Justin Jefferson shared his thoughts on the matter, discussing Darnold’s future and J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings’ WR stated, “I mean, I feel like we’re gonna bring Sam back. I’m not sure though, so don’t take my words for it. But I mean, I think it’ll be good to have him back to build, you know, to see where it goes. But I definitely think JJ is going to have his opportunity and… you know… year, I don’t know, hahaha.” It could also benefit McCarthy to have Darnold around for the 2025 season, as he can learn from his experience.

Darnold achieved several personal bests in key statistics this season, but now his impending free agency has triggered speculation regarding his future. Despite uncertainties about his career, though, one thing is great, his relationship with his girlfriend Katie Hoofnagle continues to thrive. For the Vikings, they need to swiftly address their quarterback situation, especially with rookie J.J. McCarthy recovering from injury. Regardless of what happens, Darnold’s skills make him a valuable player in the league, and his future remains one to watch closely.