One Super Bowl moment exorcised the last of Sam Darnold’s ghosts

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The dream ending was everything Sam Darnold, the 29-13 Super Bowl 2026 winner over the Patriots, imagined it would be. . . confetti raining down on him, embrace after embrace with his Seahawks brothers, the Lombardi Trophy pleading with him to hoist it.

Superman Sam.

And most of all, a fairy-tale lovefest with his parents and fiancée.

Which made Sam Darnold, son of a plumber who has worked at his craft every bit as diligently as his son has worked at his, cry tears of joy with Mike Darnold.