Sam Darnold just won a Super Bowl a year after Jalen Hurts. What’s interesting is that neither quarterback is exceptionally more talented than their peers in the NFC. But both did enough to lead their teams to a title by taking care of the ball, making smart decisions, and leaning on their elite defenses.
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Regardless, the hot takes are already coming in fast about Darnold. Most recently, Stephen A. Smith went viral for saying he is now a Top 3 QB in the NFC. This riled up several other analysts, including former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho.
Acho went on a rant on his podcast, Speakeasy, comparing Darnold to the rest of the NFC purely based on talent.
“Sam Darnold is not a Top 3 quarterback in the NFC. Because if you’re talking about talent, then you have to go, Caleb Williams one or two, Matthew Stafford one or two, and likely Jordan Love three. That’s if you’re talking about talent,” Acho began.
But the former linebacker didn’t stop there. He continued to compare Darnold to the rest of the NFC signal callers, this time based on resumes.
“If you’re talking about a resume, Matthew Stafford number one, everybody shut up. Jalen Hurts number two, everybody sit down. And then y’all can fight over number three,” Acho stated.
It’s hard to disagree with Acho. However, if we’re talking about a resume, which is what Stephen A. was initially arguing, then Darnold could very well win that third spot. Stafford and Hurts undoubtedly earn the first two ranks. But when it comes to the third spot, it’s between Darnold, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, and Baker Mayfield.
Given that Darnold has a Super Bowl ring now, one could make the argument that he’s the third-best QB in the NFC based on his resume. Talent is another story.
Regardless, Acho doubled down and ensured that fans weren’t rating Darnold over Hurts. “Sam Darnold is NOT better than Jalen Hurts. Please stop,” he tweeted later on.
Sam Darnold is NOT better than Jalen Hurts. Please stop. https://t.co/Z3nhYhyV8Y
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) February 11, 2026
As a three-time Pro Bowler, a member of an All-Pro team, and an MVP runner-up in 2022, Hurts certainly clears Darnold. But after these last two seasons, the Seattle Seahawks QB is catching up to his counterpart.
It’s a great story of resilience when it comes to Darnold. Many wrote him off as a draft bust when he became a backup QB with the San Francisco 49ers. But he has now gone 28-6 in his past two seasons as a starter and has a Super Bowl ring to show for it. With this in mind, Darnold deserves more credit from analysts like Acho. He could very well be a top-three QB in the NFC if we’re just talking about resumes.
