Sam Darnold's time with the 49ers was short-lived, but beneficial nonetheless.
The veteran quarterback spent the 2023 NFL season mostly as a backup to 49ers starter Brock Purdy, and in their short time together, Darnold said he observed and learned plenty from Purdy and his other San Francisco teammates and coaches.
"I just learned so much in San Francisco, not only from the coaches, but from the players," Darnold recently told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer (h/t 49ers Webzone). "The way Brock prepared every single week was inspiring to me. We didn't leave one stone unturned throughout the week."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The 49ers signed the former No. 3 overall draft pick to a one-year deal before the start of the 2023 season. Darnold spent his first three seasons with the New York Jets, where he struggled in 38 starts, before being dealt to the Carolina Panthers in 2021 where he spent two seasons.
In the Bay, Darnold witnessed Purdy up-close lead the 49ers to five consecutive wins to open the season before finishing with an NFC West-leading 12-5 record, pulling off back-to-back hard-fought playoff victories before falling just short of winning Super Bowl LVIII against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
And even though he started just one game during San Francisco's successful season, Darnold continuously took notes from the backseat.
"If there ever was a question, there were so many people to go, 'Hey, we didn't necessarily talk about this, what happens in the pass protection if there's a blitz?' " Darnold explained. "Then you add a couple words to the play-call to add a can or alert to it.
San Francisco 49ers
"There's an answer for every single coverage that we have on tape and every single play that we call."
After a tough start to his NFL career, the 49ers helped Darnold put things into perspective before his fresh start with the Minnesota Vikings.
After parting ways with six-year starter Kirk Cousins, Minnesota signed Darnold to a one-year contract after Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was impressed with the vet's growth in San Francisco.
Now, with Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy sidelined for an undisclosed amount of time after it was announced Tuesday that he will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, Darnold unquestionably will be that guy for Minnesota entering the 2024 season.
And there's no doubt he's ready to show the world what he can do and remind them why he went third overall seven years ago.
"I think, obviously, going through what I did, it is what it is," Darnold reflected. "In some respects, it'll help me down the line. Not sure exactly when or how, but I know it will definitely help me at some point."
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast