Starts & Finishes

Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl champion.

If you had read that two years ago, you would’ve snorted. Sam Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, had flamed out after unsuccessful stints in New York and Carolina. The USC product—famously drafted before MVPs Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen—was mercifully relegated to a backup role in San Francisco in 2023.

You might know the rest. The Vikings took a chance on him, and Darnold broke out with 35 touchdowns and 14 wins in Minnesota, reviving his reputation, which, it turns out, was only mostly dead. Still, it wasn’t enough to convince ownership that he was their franchise quarterback. The Vikings shipped Darnold off to Seattle where he immediately won 14 more games and led the Seahawks their first Lombardi trophy since “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry was the #1 song in America. Seems fitting!

Fair or not, Darnold was pinned with all sorts of disrespectful labels at the beginning of his career. Bust. Punchline. Cautionary tale. New York Jet. But someday, when it’s all said and done, the labels will start and end with one word: Champion.

My college basketball coach used to put it this way: “You’re impressive for how you start. You’re remembered for how you finish.” The way you start matters. A strong first impression will attract attention. A positive reputation. Maybe even a few accolades. It can certainly set you up on a path to great success. But first impressions only carry you so far. It’s the way you finish that will often define your legacy.

There weren’t many people calling Sam Darnold “impressive” for the way he started. Guess what? It doesn’t matter now. Why? Because he finished well.

Maybe your start has been impressive. You aced your first big test of the semester. You hit a personal record in the weightroom. You were named player of the week. First, throw that hand over your shoulder and pat yourself on the back, then lean into humility, and run through the tape. Make it count by finishing well.

Or maybe, like Sam Darnold, you’ve been written off. You fell short of expectations. You blew a major opportunity. You’ve gone too far down a path you don’t want to be on. Take heart! The story isn’t over. Redeem it by finishing well.

Wherever you are, whether you’re riding high or licking your wounds, another season is coming.

Go write the ending.