Sam Darnold snubbed at No. 100 as ESPN Buries Seahawks' super bowl winner before title defense

ESPN's 2026 top 100 NFL player rankings placed Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold at No. 100, the lowest spot on the list, despite him winning a Super Bowl and posting back-to-back 14-win seasons — a feat previously matched only by Tom Brady. The ranking drew criticism as Darnold heads into the 2026 season as a defending Super Bowl champion. The article, published on September 2, 2026, highlights the perceived slight by ESPN ahead of Darnold's title defense with Seattle.