Sam Darnold, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, is currently underpaid relative to his performance in the NFL, with a guaranteed salary of $5.5 million and a cap hit of $13.4 million. However, there are significant financial incentives on the line for Darnold as the season winds down.
As the Seahawks head into Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers, Darnold has the potential to earn substantial bonuses by meeting certain performance thresholds. Among these incentives, he needs a minimum of 28 passing touchdowns and at least 4,000 passing yards for the 2025 season, with each milestone contributing an additional $500,000 to his earnings. To reach these goals in the upcoming game, he must throw four touchdown passes and accumulate 297 passing yards—figures that, while challenging, are within reach.
Darnold has succeeded in throwing for four touchdown passes in a game twice already this season, highlighting that hitting this target may be more feasible than breaking the 297-yard mark, a feat he has only accomplished twice. Seahawks fans would surely welcome any outcome that includes a win, even if it means Darnold achieving four touchdowns with a lower yardage total.
Additionally, Darnold has two more incentives on the line that could yield him another $500,000 each—finishing the season with a passer rating of 100 or better, and maintaining a completion percentage of 67.5%. Currently, he sits just above these targets, with a passer rating of 100.6 and a completion rate of 67.2%. While the outcomes for these stats depend on performance in the final games, achieving the first two incentives against the Panthers would push Darnold closer to a $1 million payday.
There is a slim possibility that Darnold might not need to take the field in the final game if circumstances align perfectly; the Seahawks would need a victory over the Panthers, a tie between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears, and the Los Angeles Rams to lose against the Atlanta Falcons. While these scenarios are unlikely, the Seahawks still have control over their playoff destiny. Winning the remaining games against the Panthers and the 49ers would secure the top seed in the NFC, making the playoffs run through Seattle.
Overall, this situation highlights the competitive nature of the NFL where performance and financial rewards are closely linked, and for Darnold, the stakes are particularly high this week. The potential of reaching his incentives adds extra excitement for both him and Seahawks fans as they approach the postseason.