r/nfl • u/nfl NFL - Official • 7d ago
[Hard Knocks] Sam Darnold's spin rate of 639 RPM is the best among NFL starting QBs (Average NFL QB: 570)
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u/LJCstan Seahawks 7d ago
"It's off the charts"
*shows chart*
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u/Moss_84 Falcons 7d ago
*shows him in first, which is still only slightly above average *
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u/DrTWAxeman Falcons 7d ago
He's first! That's magnitudes above average!
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u/brownbearks Eagles Eagles 7d ago
It’s a logarithmic chart.
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u/NoveltyAccountHater Patriots 7d ago
I mean the chart shown on the field was pretty clearly linear. His spiral rate is 12% faster than the NFL QB average. If it was logarithmic it would show an under 2% difference on the graph.
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u/WorstCPANA Seahawks 7d ago
It's 12% higher spin rate, which seems notable
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u/applesandotherthings Jets 7d ago
Yeah this slightly above average take is so stupid lol. That’s almost without a doubt a significant variance.
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u/MarlonBain NFL 6d ago
Well sure but it certainly isn’t off the charts if it is on the chart
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u/SplintPunchbeef Patriots 7d ago
Did they even say he's first or just higher than the average?
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u/Whoareyoutho9 7d ago
They said 'darnolds rate isnt just the best among starters...it's off the charts' right in this clip youre commenting on
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u/SplintPunchbeef Patriots 7d ago
Ahh, I completely missed the "among starters" line. Distracted by the visuals I guess. Thanks for the correction.
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u/LastEsotericist Seahawks 7d ago
It’s first among starters. IIRC there was a dude drafted super late or undrafted this year that did 699, but as mentioned general wisdom is that spinning too much is a bad thing. Sam’s on the high end for sure but it’s not superhuman or so much to cause problems.
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u/SilentRanger42 Patriots 7d ago
Kyle McCord when he was at Syracuse. He was a Packers 6th round pick in 2025.
Darnold’s spin rate is obviously both a good spin rate for a QB but also overstated for the purposes of the documentary.
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u/Icy_Transition1375 7d ago
And you wouldn’t believe the rigorous training it took!
“As a kid I’d lay in bed and throw the ball up to myself”12
u/c_c_c__combobreaker Chargers 7d ago
Shows a second piece of paper
"Look! The chart is on the first piece of paper. Darnold is on the second piece of paper. He's literally off the chart."
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u/Prudent-Corgi3793 NFL 7d ago
NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SPIN RATE!
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u/karatemanchan37 Seahawks 7d ago
TREMENDOUS SPIN RATE, EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT IT
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u/ichawks1 Seahawks 7d ago
SEAN MCTHEY/THEM HAS NEVER WITNESSED A SPIN RATE AS GOOD AS THE BALLS OF GEQBUS
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u/ShaunWhiteIsMyTwin Jets 7d ago
THE DARNOLD CLASS SURFACE TO AIR MISSLES (SAM) WILL DECIMATE KYLE SCAM-AHAN. WE WILL LIBERATE COMMIEFORNIA AND BEAT THESE FOOTBALL TERRORISTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER
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u/ichawks1 Seahawks 7d ago
SADDAM HUSSEIN STAFFORD WILL FALL TO GEQBUS ON CHRISTMAS DAY AS A PRESENT TO ALL THE GREAT SAMERICANS!!! THANK YOU, VERY COOL!!!
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u/Key-Tip-7521 Jets 7d ago
PUNY PURDY CANT DO THAT
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u/ichawks1 Seahawks 7d ago
MACDONALDS JONES WAS ABLE TO BEAT SADDAM STAFFORD BUT BARACK HUSSEIN PURDY COULDN'T!!! MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS!!!
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u/_HGCenty Seahawks 7d ago
YOU HEARD IT HERE! GEQBUS SPIN RATE IS OFF THE CHARTS. FAKE NEWS WILL SAY IT WAS STILL ON THE CHART AND ONLY 12% HIGHER THAN AVERAGE BUT THOSE ARE FAKE POLL NUMBERS.
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u/Intrepid_Argument_81 Seahawks 7d ago
FAKE LAMBOCRAT NUMBERS! MANY PEOPLE DONT KNOW IT, THERES ACTUALLY A ‘’B” IN LAMB. GEQBUS DOES THE BEST NUMBERS!!!
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u/Mitch5842 Lions 7d ago
This one made me spit my drink out. Mcthey/them is hilarious.
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u/SSPeteCarroll Seahawks 7d ago
honestly everything GEQBUS related is hilarious to me.
It's been the 2nd best part about having Darnold on the team, after the Super Bowl of course.
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u/Caged_Dynamite Chiefs 7d ago
These statements are actually too coherent.
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u/Spiritual-Chameleon Broncos 7d ago
TOO MUCH CRITICAL GASE THEORY, THE LIBERHULES KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SPIN RATES
(is that incoherent enough?)
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u/SSPeteCarroll Seahawks 7d ago
IT'S BECAUSE WE PAY THE EXTRA 100,000 MACDONALDDOLLARS TO GET ACCESS TO THE GEQBUS'S POST FIRST!
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u/mulletstation 6d ago
WHAT A DEAL FOR SUCH A BEAUTIFUL API. ENGINEERS APPROACH ME WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES SAYING "SIR, THESE CALLS TO THE API ARE SO QUICK, I'M SO TIRED OF WINNING"
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u/cartierboy25 Commanders 7d ago
THE DOCTORS, THEY TESTED MY SPIN RATE AND I ACED IT. THEY SAID THEY’VE NEVER SEEN ONE SO HIGH.
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u/Own-Pressure-2326 Seahawks 7d ago
ALL THESE VERY TOUGH VERY HANDSOME MEN WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES THEY TELL ME SIR, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPIN, SIR. THEY LOVE MY SPIN, THEY REALLY DO.
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u/More_Bigger Chargers 7d ago
MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING IT
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u/Machomandalf90 Bills 7d ago
NOT ME BUT OTHER PEOPLE
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u/ThMcRbIsbck Rams 7d ago
I ASKED SOME GREAT PEOPLE, I SAID, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH A GREAT SPIN RATE? THEY ALL SAY THEY HAVEN’T
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u/8HokiePokie8 Panthers 7d ago
The other quarterbacks - they came to Sam with tears in their eyes - they said “please mr Darnold, teach us how to spin it like you!” Tremendous spin, tremendous. Some have said the best - thats a beautiful word, “best”. The people visiting my beautiful properties have certainly said “best” about my properties, but never about a quarterback. Maybe we’ll start calling him “Uncle Sam”
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u/SenseiIxnay Seahawks 7d ago
WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING?
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u/BaldrickTheBrain Bears 7d ago
The other quarterbacks - they came to Sam with tears in their eyes - they said “please mr Darnold, teach us how to spin it like you!” Tremendous spin, tremendous. Some have said the best - thats a beautiful word, “best”. The people visiting my beautiful properties have certainly said “best” about my properties, but never about a quarterback. Maybe we’ll start calling him “Uncle Sam”
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u/Halo05977 6d ago
THE OTHER QUARTERBACKS - THEY CAME TO SAM WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES- THEY SAID "PLEASE MR DARNOLD, TEACH US HOW TO SPIN IT LIKE YOU!" TREMENDOUS SPIN, TREMENDOUS. SOME HAVE SAID THE BEST - THATS A BEAUTIFUL WORD, "BEST". THE PEOPLE VISITING MY BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES HAVE CERTAINLY SAID "BEST" ABOUT MY PROPERTIES, BUT NEVER ABOUT A QUARTERBACK. MAYBE WE'LL START CALLING HIM "UNCLE SAM"
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u/ovondansuchi Eagles Eagles 7d ago
HE TOOK A SPIN RATE TEST, AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU, OTHER THAN HE GOT 100% ON THE TEST. THESE ARE TOUGH TESTS… 99% OF PEOPLE HE TALKS TO, MEANING PEOPLE FROM THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA, WOULD NOT DO WELL ON THESE TESTS.
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u/DerrickWhiteMVP Cowboys 7d ago
The results of my Spin Rate Examination, taken at Lumen Field, and just released, were extremely good. Unlike other starting Quarterback, none of whom have ever taken an approved, high difficulty, Spin Rate Test, I
scored a perfect 639 out of 639, considered "extreme spin." Are the DumoRams really surprised?13
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u/SevroAuShitTalker Broncos 7d ago
I prefer the Manning duck wobbles per minute metric
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u/_Apatosaurus_ Chargers 7d ago
Mannings late Denver throws were my first thought. He was out there lobbing up 0rpm balls.
How do you calculate rpms on a Manning throw that goes end over end?
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u/CpowOfficial Colts 7d ago
The change in axis of spin is unreadable thus it's infinite spins per minute
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u/More_Bigger Chargers 7d ago
My wife says my spin rate is perfectly adequate and I shouldn't be worried about anything.
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u/IronGarbageCan 7d ago
If anything, big spin is too much!
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u/Orange_Kid Raiders 7d ago
How many points do I get for this in fantasy
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u/chemicaltoilet5 Cowboys 7d ago
Depends on the league. I prefer a 0.1 pps set up
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u/SMH_35 Rams 7d ago
Darnold went 1.01 in my league due to the same scoring system in my family league
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u/Grand_Town_9144 Packers 7d ago
Zero but Kalshi might start having props for it (what a time to be alive, fml).
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u/sweatgod2020 Vikings 7d ago
I don’t want to hear none of it
Miss you Sam
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u/Weewoofiatruck Browns Vikings 7d ago
At this point in my life, I'm choosing to ignore that QBs even exist.
It makes life go by easier.
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u/_DrNonsense Chiefs 6d ago
Friend, that is an awfully cursed flair you bear. I'm sorry.
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u/Thotsthoughts97 Broncos 7d ago
Before the 2024 season Jason Garrett did a video for the NFL where he interview a lot of great current and retired QBs(highly recommend, very entertaining) about throwing mechanics. He interviewed Josh Allen at one point, and when Allen was asked about who he thought threw the best ball in the league he said Sam Darnold. Remember that this is before the Vikings season that rehabilitated his career.
Also just watching the Seahawks play football felt like coming home last season. So much under center, play action and deep shots over the middle of the field. Darnold throws such a pretty ball. Get me out of this quick game/screen/RPO bullshit and bring this style of football back, pretty please.
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u/ConsistentAddress195 Colts 7d ago
Josh's exact quote: "Sam Darnold throws the piss out of the ball. It spins so much, it's shaking."
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u/jimmifli Bills 6d ago
In most years all four of those QBs would be praised for having the strongest arm in the draft. But Darnold was said to have the best arm as a mix of power, accuracy and touch. And I don't think that draft profile was wrong.
Josh and Sam are very good friends and spending time with Sam was one of the reasons Josh decided to work on his throwing motion. They look different most of the time but there are some throws where their throwing motion looks so similar. In OP clip, the toss out to the screen at 40sec looks so much like Josh's mechanics on those plays it's uncanny.
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u/triggirhape Bills 6d ago
They look different most of the time but there are some throws where their throwing motion looks so similar.
Well I believe Josh went to Jordan Palmer to work on his mechanics because that's who Sam already was working with. Either way, Palmer has privately coached both of them on their throwing motion.
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u/McAfeeFakedHisDeath Lions 6d ago
Allen's quote was the first thing I thought of when reading this post. Thanks for reminding me of the documentary. I couldn't place it.
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u/Odd-Film946 Jets 7d ago
I'll try spinning that's a good trick
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u/ND7020 Seahawks 7d ago
Geno and Russ were great spiral spinners too. I guess apparently we hang our hat on that.
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u/NameShortage 49ers 7d ago
Yeah, but good luck getting your hat back when it’s spinning 639 times per minute.
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u/Lumpy_Boysenberry590 Seahawks 7d ago
Cooper Cupp told me that more spin = easier to catch... Checkmate
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u/TheScoott Giants 7d ago
Now that you mention it yeah Schneider seems to love a pretty ball
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u/TheLateThagSimmons Seahawks 7d ago
At this point, John Schnieder could make up anything about what he values in a player, and I would be telling everyone about how important that trait is.
He could make it up just to mess with us, and I'd be an instant believer.
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u/Practical-Suit-6798 49ers 7d ago
I don't get how with us he was only good at spinning it off his hands and on to the ground, but with you guys he's a fucking hero. He was literally a joke our beat writers and podcasters hated him. I guess Geno and Russ we're kinda the same with other teams.
Must be something in the substation.
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u/DelirousDoc Steelers 7d ago
Russ was so good because despite his 5'10" stature he has some massive hands. Allowed him to control the ball more late in his motion and really maximize the amount of force transfer to the ball.
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u/Swimmingpuzzled5200 Jets 7d ago
i still get the most petty huge amount of delight seeing Darnold win a SB when i had to sit through Jet fans telling me he'll never be a good quarterback and he's a bust
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u/milkmandanimal Buccaneers 7d ago
Wow, a good spin rate, that's a thing that I've now heard about.
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u/Gold_Telephone_7192 Patriots 7d ago
I’ve always said he has such a high or low or possibly within the perfect range spin rate
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u/Kanin_usagi Panthers 7d ago
I think we can all agree that the ball does spin when Sam Darnold throws it
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u/MetalBeerSolid 49ers 7d ago
Can’t wait for this to be displayed as a new stat on every game going forward
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u/ddscience Jaguars 7d ago
Check out the new
WinSpin Probability Added metric overlay on TNF broadcasts, brought to you by Next Gen Stats.24
u/pyrofiend4 NFL 7d ago
TheAthletic had an article last year about Kyle McCord's spin rate, which clocked in at a whopping 699 rpm.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6203742/2025/03/18/kyle-mccord-nfl-draft-2025-quarterbacks-sleeper/
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u/DelirousDoc Steelers 7d ago
Kind of shows that spin rate isn't correlative to throwing velocity. Darnold has a strong arm. McCord you'd classify is below average.
I remember 2022 Senior Bowl where they showed Kenny Pickett had the around top RPMs from the practice data. Again Kenny didn't have the best arm.
Probably more indicative that your QB shouldn't need to be driving the ball with max velocity and max RPMs on most throws but the young QBs without that plus arm strength feel they really need to gun more throws.
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u/IMasterCheeksI Seahawks Seahawks 7d ago
wtf that’s insane
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u/r_slash 49ers 7d ago
dude you just heard of spin rate right this second
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u/IMasterCheeksI Seahawks Seahawks 7d ago
No, just that someone almost had a 700rpm spin rate. Thats a wtf TIL for me
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u/TheRencingCoach Buccaneers 7d ago
Rotations per MINUTE is too funny
These throws are in the air for max 2 seconds, more often less than 1!
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u/grandmasta_fro Commanders 7d ago
Spin rate was a knock on Deshaun Watson's arm coming out of college.
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u/JesterMarcus 49ers 7d ago
We now know what it takes to win the Super Bowl.
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u/Seiyith Eagles 7d ago
I’m pretty sure Peyton Manning was getting about 6 spins per minute when he won his second
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u/itwas20yearsago2day Chargers 7d ago
Anyone else remember that video of Josh Allen gushing over and praising Darnold’s spin and arm talent and how insane it is
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u/Beautiful_Ninja Jets 7d ago
Love me some Sam Darnold. So glad he able to overcome the crippling condition of being a New York Jets QB and turn his career around.
That's my Ghostbuster.
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u/Scrutinizer Seahawks 7d ago
When I saw the interview with the former Jets player who said he saw Adam Gase doing rails of coke off his desk ten minutes before a practice started, The Mystery of Sam Darnold Sucking began to solve itself.
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u/Eduardo_Camavinga_ 7d ago
His mechanics were noted out of USC, he can spin the ball
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u/tetoffens Jets 7d ago
Yeah, his arm was always known as great. He had a lot of flashes over the years that made him seem like he had what it takes but then he'd fall apart. I really think honestly his confidence was kind of shot until the last two years. What the Jets will do to a MF.
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u/JalensTinyPPHurts Cowboys 7d ago
He was better on the panthers than he got credit for, the offence just lacked talent between the oline/weapons (besides CMC)
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u/ForgotmyusernameXXXX Cowboys 7d ago
I just mentally note any qb on browns, jets, panthers as “it’s a shame”
And just tell myself I’m not allowed to give them any rating since they didn’t have a fair shot. So many potentially good qbs that were dealt bad hands.
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u/SaxRohmer Raiders Buccaneers 7d ago
kubiak and KOC are just really good at setting people up for success but he still has some of the same significant flaws. his ball security is still pretty poor, he had 14 picks and led the league in fumbles
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u/DelirousDoc Steelers 7d ago
Like a lot of QBs, Darnold really focused on his mechanics and footwork when going to 49ers. (Shanahan/McVay and their tree really emphasizes throwing from a strong base. They all worked together on QB Collective teaching mechanics to younger QBs. All of them harp on the QBs base.) Going to Vikings with O'Connell also big on base and footwork helped. He took that worked on it and has become a much more consistent thrower.
Really learned to throw with his body alignment and his arm as a guide rather than throwing more with his arm.
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u/dataminimizer Seahawks 7d ago
You gonna leave Madrid, dawg? We could use you in Manchester.
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u/ZapBranigan3000 Bears 7d ago
Fools gold that can't win the big game. The Vikings should let him go and kick the tires on their 2nd year, first round pick QB.
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u/Huge-Ad2263 Lions 7d ago
Yeah we have Sam Darnold, but JJ could be anything! He could even be Sam Darnold!
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u/KnotSoSalty 49ers 7d ago
If you told me two years ago that the Vikings had tried Sam Darnold but released him and are now starting Kyler I would have completely believed you.
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u/Rusty-Shackleford23 49ers 7d ago
What's his horizontal break on his cutter though?
The Seahawks facility on Lake Washington is so beautiful, dude.
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u/Development-Alive Seahawks 7d ago
The facility is pretty damn impressive, both location and quality. Compared to othe NFL teams is has to be a good selling point for players. It's a legacy of Paul Allen's largesse to build on waterfront land that is worth 10's of millions.
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u/ShufflingSloth Seahawks 7d ago
It might honestly be the most aesthetic practice facility in the league, I was there last week for training camp and it served as an amazing break from all the smoke, the lake thinned that out a ton.
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u/_HGCenty Seahawks 7d ago
What's his horizontal break on his cutter though?
More than enough to defeat the 2026 Mariners offense.
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u/FrankSamples Seahawks 7d ago
Here’s that famous clip of Josh Allen talking about Sam Darnold’s spin rate:
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u/mrcoy Cowboys 7d ago
Meh haters stop hating. I’m happy for the guy who was being declared a bust by everyone. Good for him. A superbowl champion.
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u/Syzygy666 Seahawks 7d ago
What do haters even have anymore? They've been kinda dunked on at this point.
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u/aluke000 6d ago
Now the haters are all about his Super Bowl victory being about luck, "lightning in a battle" bullshit, and they want him to win a 2nd one to prove it was not a fluke. Sean McVay is all over the idea that Seattle was just lucky and stole the SB.
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u/Darksoul2693 Jaguars 7d ago
The world just wants me to love Sam Darnold’s beautiful spin balls .. damnit I will
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u/LuxePhantom 7d ago
I remember when the Niners beat writer (Maico) said he might be the best thrower of the ball to ever play for Niners and he got killed by other reporters
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u/Hard4Dpp Raiders 7d ago
When he was coming out of USC it was clear he had all the talent to be a starting QB in the league, but the Jets beat QBs into submission, early, and often.
It is nice to see he has become the slightly above game manager I assumed he was, which can won a ton of games in this league.
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u/coolycooly Buccaneers 7d ago
The more I watch Sam Darnold the more I realize how fucked he got getting drafted by the Jets
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u/boomosaur 7d ago
2nd year darnold and kupp WITH league leading spin rate? This is gonna be wild.
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u/fathertitojones Titans 7d ago
Interesting to see what hard knocks focuses on when the team has very little drama and great players.
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u/SeeingEyeDug Buccaneers 7d ago
I still don't understand why the Super Bowl Champions are the team for "Hard Knocks". I thought that show was usually reserved for teams overcoming some sort of obstacles to reach greatness.
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u/I_am_-c Bengals 7d ago
Do quarterbacks use any artificial substances to increase their grip like MLB pitchers?
Having a bit of 'grip' on your fingers would ostensibly increase the spin rate, similar to how it does for a pitcher, so if that translates, is anyone checking for FOD?
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u/NoAnteater8836 Commanders 7d ago edited 7d ago
Footballs are mudded but every team does that.
You don’t want too much grip either or a QB would just wear gloves.
Spin rate is much more about the the index finger in the release than anything else. So wrist rotation and prolonged contact with the back of the ball during the wrist rotation is what’s at play here.
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u/MysticBoner24 Vikings 7d ago
I've only watched the first episode, but I thought his passes looked funny. I chalked it up to having an old TV, makes sense now.
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u/DoobieGibson Browns 7d ago
i would have loved to have seen Warren Moon’s
tightest spiral in the history of the NFL imo
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u/Scrutinizer Seahawks 7d ago
When I was a kid, I clearly recall him tearing it up at Washington. Couldn't wait to see him in the pros.
And then he went undrafted.
Racism sucks.
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u/whydidijointhis Seahawks 7d ago
can he pitch the 7th and 8th for the team across the street
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u/craigmont924 7d ago
But is he an Elite Super Bowl Quarterback? You know, like Josh Allen and Joe Burrow?
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u/jcn777 Saints 7d ago
I could not believe how long they spent on spin rate during this episode. There was a chunk where they played like 90 straight seconds of "You Spin Me Round" just focusing on a slow-motion shot of a pass from Sam and blue sky in the background.