There's no way Sam Darnold would be happy after losing the Carolina Panthers' QB1 battle against Baker Mayfield, but he's not whining and has, in fact, already accepted the team's decision.
Speaking to reporters after the Panthers confirmed that Mayfield will be their starting quarterback for Week 1, Darnold admitted that it's frustrating since he really fought hard for the job. It is the first time in his young career that the 25-year-old signal-caller had to battle someone for the starting gig, but unfortunately for him, Mayfield was just too experienced and more stable to pass up on.
“For me, personally, it sucks, to be quite honest. It’s just tough whenever you go into camp battling for a starting job, putting everything out there to be the starter and it doesn’t go your way,” Darnold shared, via Sports Illustrated. “There’s no sense of relief or anything like that for me. I’m just gonna continue to come in here every single day and get better and, like I said before, help Baker, give him everything he needs to go out there and perform.”
Despite the disappointment, though, Sam Darnold vowed to support Baker Mayfield in any way he can. At the end of the day, he is all about helping the Panthers win.
“My mindset is it is what it is. And for me, right now, I’m going to do everything I can to support Baker and get him ready to play a game,” Darnold added.
For what it's worth, Mayfield winning the QB battle didn't come as a surprise to a lot of people. Ever since Carolina traded for him from the Cleveland Browns, he was largely expected to start. The Panthers gave Darnold a chance to earn the spot, but Mayfield proved his consistency and ability to deliver in tough situations.
It remains to be seen if Darnold will get another shot at QB1, but for now, all he can do is stay ready.
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