Vikings QB Sam Darnold is NFC offensive player of the month for September

Darnold has led the Vikings to their first 4-0 start in eight years while pacing the NFL in touchdown passes (11) and passer rating (118.9).

By Mark Craig Star Tribune

October 3, 2024 — 10:57pm

Chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" might still be a tad bit premature, but Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has indeed won the first month of the NFL season.

At least among NFC offensive players.

Leading the Vikings to their first 4-0 start in eight years while pacing the league in touchdown passes (11) and passer rating (118.9), Darnold won NFC offensive player of the month for September, the NFL announced Thursday.

It's the first player of the month honor for the longtime embattled third overall pick of the 2018 draft. He's also the 13th Vikings player to win the award and the second under coach Kevin O'Connell, joining wide receiver Justin Jefferson in November 2022.

The last time NFL MVP honors went to anyone but a quarterback was 2012, when Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won.

Darnold's 11 touchdown passes to start the season are three more than any other quarterback in the NFL (Baker Mayfield, eight), and tied Tommy Kramer (1986) and Kirk Cousins (2023) for the second-most touchdown passes through the first four games of a season in team history behind Daunte Culpepper, who had 13 in 2004.

In his first four games with the Vikings, Darnold also became the first quarterback in franchise history to post a 100-plus passer rating in each of the team's first four games of a season. So far, he has completed 73 of 106 passes (68.9%) for 932 yards, with three interceptions.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen won AFC offensive player of the month. The defensive players of the month were Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in the NFC and Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy in the AFC. Special teams players of the month were Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey in the NFC and Steelers kicker Chris Boswell in the AFC.