4 reasons Sam Darnold should not be Carolina Panthers QB in 2022
By Luke Gray
Sam Darnold is not respected
Again, despite what we’ve seen in the media, it’s clear to see Sam Darnold does not command the respect of his teammates or the opposition he comes up against.
Ironically, it was Robby Anderson who recently defended Darnold after he was seemingly booed by fans after being inserted into the Week 16 home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, this is the same player who was seen angrily shouting at his former New York Jets teammate after the signal-caller threw his third pick during a defeat to the New England Patriots.
It’s clear to see from the shift we saw when Carolina re-signed Cam Newton just how this team feels about Darnold. Anderson – who for the majority of the season has cut a forlorn figure – was seen smiling and even taking selfies in press conferences after the Week 10 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Not only this, but it’s hard not to see how any team going up against the Carolina Panthers doesn’t get a massive confidence boost knowing Darnold is under center and turnover opportunities will no doubt be plentiful. Something that puts the organization on the back foot right from the start.
We also saw the most complete performance from this Panthers team in the aftermath of the Newton signing as they blew away the fifth-seed Cardinals on the road to win 34-10. Although this was the final time Carolina celebrated a victory in 2021.