Sam Darnold’s biggest supporter could hardly contain her excitement.
Moments after the Seahawks capped off their regular season Saturday with an NFC West title and the top seed in the playoffs, the quarterback’s fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle, took to her Instagram Stories to re-live the thrilling scene in Santa Clara following the team’s 13-3 victory over the 49ers.
“& to all a good night,” she captioned a video that featured the Seahawks’ bench making its way to the field inside Levi’s Stadium as cheers erupted from the stands.
Darnold, in his first year with the Seahawks, went 20-for-26 with 198 yards while Seattle’s defense shut down San Francisco’s dominant offense, limiting star running back Christian McCaffrey to a measly 23 yards.
“I love how we started the game,” second-year Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “Felt like we really set the tone.”
The NFC’s road to Super Bowl 2026 now goes through Seattle, which locked up the NFC West for the first time since 2020.
“It’s huge to be able to play in front of the 12s,” Darnold said of Seattle’s home Lumen Field. “It’s unlike any other stadium in terms of how loud it can be and how tough it can be for the other offense. We’re really looking forward to being at home for the playoffs.”
Darnold, 28, is making his second consecutive trip to the playoffs after guiding the 14-3 Vikings to a postseason berth in 2024.
Minnesota was blanked in the wild-card round by the Rams, 27-9
Two months after that season-ending loss, Darnold agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks in free agency last March.
Darnold, who resurrected his career with the Vikings after being taken third overall by the Jets in 2018, has had the support of Hoofnagle along the way.
“I’m proud of you for all that you’ve accomplished, but I’m prouder of the person that you are and continue to be,” she gushed on Instagram in February 2025. “Thanks for letting me be a part of your journey, Sam. standing by your side is a blessing that I’ll never take for granted. LFG #14!”
The couple announced their engagement over the summer.
The Seahawks will next suit up in the Divisional Round later this month after earning the bye.
