One scene from the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 13 26-0 blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks captured the whole sentiment around the game. Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, fresh off a career-worst four-yard performance, walked across the turf at Lumen Field to embrace the star who got away: Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.

“Keep doing your s***, man. Keep doing it,” Jefferson told Darnold.

This wasn’t just another post-game exchange between former teammates. Darnold and Jefferson spent 2024 building something real in Minnesota. For Jefferson, that translated into 103 catches, 1,533 yards, and 10 touchdowns. For Darnold, it was a 35-touchdown season that earned him his first Pro Bowl nod. They had rhythm, they had trust, and then the Vikings let him walk. Darnold signed a $100

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