Sam Darnold had more on his mind than just a Super Bowl championship this past Sunday.
After the Seahawks triumphed over the Patriots 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium, the Seattle quarterback immediately sought out his family and shifted gears to wedding planning, as he prepares to tie the knot with his fiancée, Katie Hoefnagle.
“The wedding is about a month away,” Darnold remarked in a video that surfaced on the NFL’s Instagram account. “I was just chatting with Maria Taylor, and I mentioned how odd it is that I’m so focused on the wedding right now since it’s just a month off. I’m really excited, but it does feel like there’s a lot to handle, you know? It’s thrilling, though.”
Darnold, who is 28, and Hoefnagle announced their engagement last summer, just before his first season with the Seahawks.
The couple’s relationship became public on Instagram in 2023.
Hoefnagle, a graduate of the University of South Carolina, expressed her admiration in a heartfelt post on social media, saying, “We celebrated Darnold’s journey.”
“And through it all, you stayed humble and kind. You never lost your cool, even when it would have been easy to blame others. Your patience, respect, and discipline were evident, especially during tough days,” she continued.
“It’s a privilege to showcase you to the world, and I’m so grateful to see you shine on such a grand stage. I’ll always be proud of you, no matter what you do.”
Darnold was drafted third overall by the Jets in 2018 but struggled early in his career during his time in New York and Carolina.
After serving as Brock Purdy’s backup with San Francisco in the 2023 season, he moved to Minnesota, where he led the team to a surprising 14-3 record and shifted the common perception of his career.
Last March, the Seahawks signed Darnold to a substantial three-year, $100 million contract as a free agent.
To celebrate their Super Bowl win, Darnold and the Seahawks participated in a victory parade on Wednesday.
