San Francisco 49ers fans have no doubt which team they'll be rooting for in Super Bowl 60 at Levi's Stadium: the New England Patriots.
And while it'll be tough to see another Pats Lombardi Trophy after the dynasty years of the 2000s and 2010s, it's a million times better than watching a hated NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks, win a Super Bowl on the Niners' home turf.
At the same time, there's still a feel-good redemption story for San Francisco fans when it comes to the Hawks quarterback, Sam Darnold, whose one-year tenure under head coach Kyle Shanahan in 2023 played a significant role in turning his career around.
Darnold, who fully acknowledged how serving as Brock Purdy's backup aided him in his resurrection, and he now gets to use that experience on the biggest of stages.
But there's a bit of a misnomer surrounding Darnold's narrative heading toward Super Bowl Sunday.
Sam Darnold reminded everyone this isn't his 1st Super Bowl
Check out this post from Rich Cimini, an ESPN insider of the New York Jets who covered Darnold aplenty after the quarterback was drafted back in 2018:
Sam Darnold overcame Belichick’s “ghosts,” mononucleosis, Gase and three difficult seasons with the Jets. He reinvented himself and now he’s going to his first Super Bowl as a starting QB.
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) January 26, 2026
Quite a success story. #seahawks #Jets
What many in both media and fan circles overlooked in the above is the phrase "as a starting QB," and it appears most have forgotten an obvious fact.
Darnold made his first Super Bowl with the 49ers back in 2023, albeit as a backup to Purdy.
When asked about being the first Round 1 quarterback from the 2018 draft to make the Super Bowl after Seattle's NFC Championship victory over the Los Angeles Rams, Darnold had a pretty blunt response:
"I actually made it in 2023 as well when I was in San Francisco." 😂
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 26, 2026
Sam Darnold on being the first QB to make the Super Bowl as a starter in a 2018 draft class that included Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield. pic.twitter.com/sjMQXLYDvW
"I actually made it in 2023 as well when I was in San Francisco," the quarterback replied.
True, Darnold was on the sidelines for the entire game against the Kansas City Chiefs. But, considering he needed to be ready at a moment's notice, the same preparation had to be in effect, and Darnold will certainly rely on that experience as the Seahawks prepare to face New England.
At Levi's Stadium no less.