Sam Darnold has had a stellar start to the New Year with success on and off the field. Despite being sidelined for most of the week leading up to the NFC Divisional Round clash on Sunday, against the 49ers, he made it back in time and helped his team secure a dominant 41-6 win. That performance also came with a massive payday.
Due to his 70.6% completion rate in the Divisional Round win, Darnold was able to cash in on a lucrative clause in his contract: a $500,000 incentive. He did so while battling an oblique injury, which makes it all the more impressive. He also earned another $500,000 for making the postseason.
Darnold’s bonuses were baked into a contract in the offseason that’s designed to reward availability and wins. According to Spotrac, his deal includes multiple postseason triggers tied to both outcome and snap share. Sunday night in Seattle cleared the first hurdle, but the next one will be tougher.
If the Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game next weekend, Darnold stands to earn another $500,000, contingent on meeting the 70% playtime threshold.
That would bring Darnold’s playoff incentives to $1.5 million in a span of two weeks. This is on top of the $2.5 million he has already added during the 2025 season through various benchmarks like “passer rating (100.0+), touchdowns (28+), yards (4,000+), completion rate (67.5%+), and team offensive ranking.”
Sam Darnold secured another $500K in incentives tonight, as his $500K bonus for making the playoffs turned into $1M for winning a divisional-round game.
He’s made $2.5M in incentives so far (pass yards, comp. rate, total offense). He could make up to $1.5M more this postseason. pic.twitter.com/4xUAAdlf9l
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) January 18, 2026
And it doesn’t stop there, as a Super Bowl win would unlock an additional $1 million for Darnold. This pushes his postseason upside to $2.5 million from this playoff run alone, allowing him to bag the entirety of his annual incentive cap of $5 million.
But before we get carried away, it’s critical to acknowledge that both Seattle and Sam Darnold’s toughest test is set to come this weekend in the NFC Championship clash against the Rams.
It is true that the Seahawks open the week as favorites against Matthew Stafford and company, primarily due to their mind-boggling defense and how well Darnold has connected with the likes of Jaxson-Smith Nijba. Not to forget, they also have the home-field advantage at Lumen Field. However, recent history has shown us that the clash between the two sides has had thin margins.
The Rams and the Seahawks split the regular season in razor-thin contests, 58-57 in points across two games and 830-829 in total yards in LA’s favor. But at the same time, momentum matters.
Seattle is coming off a historic blowout of a quality team like the 49ers. The Rams, meanwhile, are coming off two thin escapes in OT, against the Panthers and the Bears. Moreover, Matthew Stafford didn’t look in fine touch while facing the Bears’ defense, who limited him to zero touchdowns for the night.
For Darnold, however, the stakes are layered. First, a win vs. the Rams will shut his doubters up and prove that he is now part of the elite QBs in the league. Secondly, a win makes him $500k richer.
Seahawks vs. Rams is scheduled for Sunday, January 25th at 3:30 PM Pacific Time on FOX.
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