Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Jets‘ stunning victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday has led to the Jacksonville Jaguars leapfrogging New York for the rights to the No. 1 pick.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold could care less.
Much had been made about Darnold's future with the team in the event the Jets landed the top pick and (presumably) the rights to select Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
But the former USC star is only focused on the things he can control. He really is not concerned with the team's drafting spot:
“It doesn’t affect us,” Darnold said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “We’re focused on one job every single week and that’s winning a game. Anything other than that, we’re not focused on.”
New York is unlikely to exercise Darnold's fifth-year option for 2022, considering it could be worth close to $25 million. Naturally, this might suggest the Jets will still select a quarterback this coming April, whether they own the top selection or are sitting comfortably at the No. 2 spot.
In any case, Darnold does not seem to pay attention to the outside noise. The 23-year-old had his best game of the season on Sunday, completing 22 of 31 pass attempts for 207 yards and a touchdown. Darnold was far from flashy, but he took care of the ball and managed the game as the Jets earned their first win of the season.
The Jets will face tough decisions in the coming months, especially at the quarterback position. But Darnold is intent on staying in the moment and trying to help his team win, regardless of fans clamoring for the rights to draft Lawrence.
