FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Todd Bowles finally revealed the big decision that everyone expected.
Sam Darnold will start at quarterback in the New York Jets’ season-opening game at Detroit next Monday night.
Darnold, 21, will become the youngest quarterback to start in Week 1 since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. At 21 years and 97 days, he surpasses Drew Bledsoe (21-203), who held the distinction since starting for New England in 1993.
“Sam had a good preseason,” Bowles said Monday while making the announcement. “We weren’t holding him back and we weren’t rushing him at the same time. He still has some things to learn, but it was (his) poise in the pocket and the way he grasped the offense coming in right away. … He gives us a very good chance to win.”
The announcement came as no surprise; the rookie was solid while starting the Jets’ second and third preseason games. New York traded Teddy Bridgewater to New Orleans last week and Darnold then sat out the preseason finale at Philadelphia – clear signals the No. 3 overall draft pick would be under center against the Lions.
“For me, I’ve always been kind of a calm person and a guy who just goes out there and tries to do my job to the highest ability I can,” Darnold said before Bowles made the decision official. “If I get that opportunity to play, I’m going to play to the best of my ability.”
Darnold was given every opportunity to win the job in a competition with Bridgewater and incumbent Josh McCown, and didn’t disappoint. He went 29 of 45 for 244 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in the preseason. Even more impressive to Bowles and the coaching staff was Darnold’s ability to quickly digest the playbook and not repeat mistakes.
Still, Bowles declined to make his decision official until seven days before the opener.
“Sam’s got feet to get himself out of trouble, probably, and he’s got a good pocket feel,” Bowles said. “He’s probably a little quicker and a step quicker than Josh at this point. Josh obviously is smarter, playing in the league longer, but Sam picks things up very well also.”
Darnold won’t be the youngest quarterback to start in NFL history. That’s still Tommy Maddox, who was under center for Denver at 21 years, 81 days old in Week 12 of the 1992 season.
But Darnold will get a chance to make an early impact on a team that’s been searching for a consistently productive franchise quarterback since the days of Joe Namath.
Darnold will be the 31st quarterback to start since Namath’s last game with the franchise in 1976. Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Chad Pennington and Mark Sanchez had their moments, but none was able to sustain success or keep a frustrated fan base energized and hopeful over a long period.
The Jets hope Darnold ends that drought.
“I’ve had a ton of fun,” Darnold said. “I keep saying it, but getting paid to play a sport that I love – and not having to go to class is pretty cool, too.”
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