Jets preparing to take on improved Sam Darnold after QB’s failed New York stint: ‘He’s balling right now’

After being selected No. 3 overall in 2018, Darnold went 13-25 with the Jets. From the mononucleosis jokes to “seeing ghosts” memes to scatterbrained play, it was a dismal three seasons for the quarterback. Then he bounced around from Carolina, where he started 17 games over two seasons, to a backup in San Francisco last year.

Now, he’s found rebirth in Minnesota.

In O’Connell’s QB-friendly system, Darnold has looked more poised in the pocket, made fewer mistakes (though he’s gotten away with some miscues) and distributed the pigskin with aplomb. It’s a system that gives him answers and, at times, allows the QB to flash the big arm.

Sunday marks the third time in the last 50 seasons that a starting QB will take a 4-0 or better record against the team that drafted him. The other two instances came from Manning versus Indianapolis (the Hall of Fame QB lost both games but led Denver to the Super Bowl in both seasons).

Jets linebacker Quincy Williams knows all about redemption stories. The elder Williams was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars after two seasons before landing in New York and growing into an All-Pro.

“If you’re one of those people who get that second chance and you take full advantage of it, that’s great,” Quincy Williams said. “Some people [are like], ‘It was the team’s fault’ and are not looking at themself in the mirror saying like, ‘All right, what can I do to get better and what can I do to provide for this next team that I’m on or what can I do to stand out on this team?’

“(Darnold’s) one of those guys that said, ‘What can I do to stand out on this team and what can I do to better this team?’ So I’m excited for him, for real.”

The Williams duo can be both impressed by Darnold’s redemption and excited to knock him down on Sunday.