The Professional Football Writers of America have named Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold the NFL's Most Improved Player of the Year.

Sam Darnold piled up stats this season, charmed the fanbase and probably earned himself a nice payday in the process. But will he get it from the Vikings?

That was before quarterback guru Kevin O'Connell arrived in Minnesota. He's made the Vikings a dream destination for any quarterback looking for a change of scenery, including Fields, who named Minnesota one of his four preferred destinations in a trade last year.

Minnesota was intrigued with Darnold after he spent time learning from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, one of the league’s best offensive minds. Kevin O’Connell built on that, helping get Darnold selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.

Retired New York Giants WR Victor Cruz believes Sam Darnold could solve the team’s quarterback problems in 2025.

Fields played out the final season of his four-year, $19 million rookie contract in 2024, going 4-2 as the Steelers' starter before the team replaced him with Russell Wilson. For his career, Fields has thrown for nearly 7,800 yards, 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions while rushing the football for 2,509 yards and 19 scores.

After a stellar bounce-back season with the Minnesota Vikings, including a Pro Bowl selection, former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold has been announced as a finalist for NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

And then, not long afterward, the 2025 offseason will get underway with what could be a big wave of big-name activity at the position. Several high-profile starters are on track to become free agents in March,

A couple of other quarterbacks fit that pattern, and the Twins, Lynx, Gophers and North Stars all have made boom-and-bust hires.

Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has been named the 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). It isn't an official NFL award — though it arguably should be — but this is a cool honor for Darnold nonetheless.