Does Sam Darnold Have Schizophrenia? Illness And Health 2023

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After the “seeing ghost” comment made by Darnold, some people made fun of it, and some started to raise questions like, does Sam Darnold have schizophrenia? Is Sam mentally ill?

One day, Sam Darnold unintentionally told the audience on national television that he was “seeing ghosts” on the field. This one comment by Sam blew up the internet.

Sam Darnold Throwing The Ball
Sam Darnold Throwing The Ball (Source: Instagram)

Samuel Richard Darnold, aka Sam, was born on June 5, 1997, in Dana Point, California.

He is a football player currently committed to the San Francisco 49ers as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL).

Richard was chosen third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Moreover, when the QB was just 21 years old, he became the NFL’s youngest opening-day starting quarterback since the AFL-NFL merger.

He attended the University of Southern California, where he was the first freshman to earn the Archie Griffin Award.

Also, the athlete won the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2016 and the First-Team All-Pac-12 in 2017.

Does Sam Darnold Have Schizophrenia?

Most of football fans is worried about mental health and they are constantly searching if Samuel Darnold has schizophrenia.

The topic of Sam having schizophrenia came up when he mentioned seeing the ghost in the field.

Darnold had his worst performance as a pro, committing five turnovers. After making his third mistake in the second quarter, he ran to the bench and declared, “I’m seeing ghosts.” That video went viral rapidly.

Sam Darnold's Family Cheering For Him
Sam Darnold’s Family Cheering For Him (Source: Twitter)

Additionally, most people assumed that he made the excuse to come out of that situation.

Also, the audience said he handled it well after the game, telling the media that he always tries to be honest with his coaches.

Moreover, he told the press that he needed to “see the field a lot better” to take on the blitz-heavy defense of New England.

“It is what it is. Worse things have happened to me. But at the same time, yeah, it’s just a bummer that it was live. It’s a lot more common a phrase than it’s being made out to be.” Sam said.

So, after this comment, there is no sign of him being schizophrenic. Hence, only based on this comment, we cannot conclude that he is suffering from mental illness.

Sam Darnold Suffered From Kissing Disease

Sam Darnold was diagnosed with mononucleosis. During that time, he had to take a three-week break from the games.

Later, after his recovery, Darnold made his debut against the Cowboys and put on one of the greatest performances of his brief career.

Sam's Fangirl Saying She Gave Him The Disease
Sam’s Fangirl Saying She Gave Him The Disease (Source: Twitter)

Moreover, the quarterback then stated in an interview with ESPN that he initially thought the diagnosis was a joke when delivered by head coach Adam Gase.

“They told me I had mono, and I immediately started laughing. I thought they were joking. And obviously, it wasn’t a joke.” Darnold mentioned.

Furthermore, mononucleosis is also known as “the kissing disease,” so the athlete thought it wasn’t the type of illness that would affect adults easily.

However, it wasn’t a prank. Luckily, Sam recovered from the disease very soon and came back into the game.

Also, he has said that Darnold actually felt sick for three to four days only, but for his safety, the team and coach forced him to rest for three weeks.

Neeki Kakshyapati
Neeki Kakshyapati

Neeki Kakshyapati

Neeki Kakshyapati has a love for delving into the vibrant and varied world of sports. Her writings captivate readers with a compelling fusion of human interest narratives, sports analysis, and cultural observations, giving them a comprehensive understanding of the players and occasions that influence the sports world.

Expertise:

Sports History NFL

Highlights

  • Neeki examines how athletics intersect with identity, community, and social change.
  • She shines a spotlight on athletes from diverse backgrounds.

Experience

Neeki's love of competitiveness and desire to learn more about the tales that lay beyond the surface of the sports world drive her passion for sports journalism. She approaches her writing with a multidisciplinary approach, examining the intricate relationships between sports, culture, and society. She has a background in writing and a strong interest in sports sociology.

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