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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold expressed gratitude for his 2023 stint with the San Francisco 49ers as Brock Purdy's primary backup, which led into a career-best effort with the Minnesota Vikings the following season.

That season humbled the former No. 3 overall pick in 2018 who, up until that point, largely performed as a starting quarterback for the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and USC Trojans.

"[I was] just happy that they were able to bring me in," Darnold said on this week's episode of the Richard Sherman Podcast. "We were unsure about Brock's elbow at the time (after the previous year's NFC Championship injury). I thought I could potentially maybe go there and start for two or three games, depending on Brock's situation."

Darnold started only one game for San Francisco during the 49ers' run to the Super Bowl before he signed with the Vikings to be the backup to first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan. However, after McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury, Darnold led Minnesota to the postseason.

In March, Darnold signed a three-year, $100 million deal with the Seahawks. The contract includes $55 million guaranteed, a sign Seattle trust Darnold following his 4,319-yards, 35-touchdowns campaign with the Vikings. His 14 wins in Minnesota were the most by any quarterback in his first season with a team in NFL history. 

"That year was incredible," Darnold said, circling back to 2023. "To be able to learn football from Kyle (Shanahan), from that entire staff that was there, [former QB coach] Brian Griese, the Kubiaks, [now-Seahawks offensive coordinator] Klint, who obviously, we're with now.

"But that was just a great experience, and being around those players, too, some of those dogs that are on that team, getting to experience what they do every single day."

Darnold played only one series, but impressed in his preseason debut last week, completing all four passes he attempted.

"I thought today, first of all, it was awesome just to get out there in front of the 12s," Darnold said after Seattle's home win over Kansas City. "And that atmosphere, too, I felt like that was kind of a perfect atmosphere. It felt like it was almost November, December already out there in the rain."