‘Can’t mess with that’ – Sam Darnold asks special permission off his wife before new Seahawks season
· Yahoo Sports
Sam Darnold is heading into the 2026 NFL season as the reigning Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks.
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That is not a statement that many people would have expected this time last year, but the highly-doubted quarterback silenced his critics last season.
It has been a busy offseason for the 29-year-old, who got his hands on two rings over the summer.
Darnold, and his Seahawks teammates, received their Super Bowl LX rings just a matter of weeks ago as the celebrations for February’s triumph finally came to an end.
A more important ring was also secured by Darnold as he married his long-term partner, Katie Hoofnagle.
However, his marriage has led Darnold to seeking special permission from his wife ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Photo by Jack Compton/Getty ImagesSam Darnold required wife’s permission ahead of new Seattle Seahawks season
Darnold silenced his doubters during the Seahawks’ playoff run as he did not turn over the ball throughout the entirety of the postseason.
Big wins against their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, also provided Darnold with the recognition he deserved.
Heading into the new season, the Seahawks QB admitted he had to ask his wife’s permission not to wear a ring during games.
“I’m not [wearing his ring]. No, I had this thing happen in OTAs. I was wearing the silicone one that everybody wears, and I was handing off to the running backs with my left hand, and sometimes it would just slide off my finger. I was like, I can’t mess with that,” Darnold told the NFL Network.
“Don’t worry, I cleared it with the wife as well. I was like, “Hey, I don’t think I can wear the ring while I’m playing,” and she was fine with that.”
Season two for Darnold in Seattle is going to be an interesting one as he will have to adapt to a new offensive coordinator in Brian Fleury.
That is not the only change, with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departing for the Kansas City Chiefs, but Seattle have added some weapons for their QB.
Jadarian Price has enjoyed a strong training camp so far and wide receiver Tory Horton has made a big impact after returning from his season-ending injury last season.
The focus will now be on adding yet another ring to Darnold’s growing collection.
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