Behind every guy who just wants to chill, there’s a brilliant lady who says, “Let’s go out to dinner. We need to go to dinner.” Even a small nudge like this is a driving force behind the success story of Sam Darnold. Darnold enters the 8th year of his NFL career with a new team – the Seattle Seahawks, with an “opportunity to do something very very special.” And throughout this opportunity, just like before, his partner and girlfriend, Katie Hoofnagle, will be the biggest source of support in his life.
Sam Darnold and Katie Hoofnagle met back in 2023, when Darnold was playing for the 49ers. While it’s not publicly known exactly how they met, their relationship was confirmed through Katie celebrating Darnold’s 26th birthday. Katie shared an IG post with a beautiful caption and unveiled their relationship. “Your huge heart, goofy energy, and ability to quote every movie you’ve ever seen are unmatched. Happy 26th birthday, celebrating you is so easy!” Ever since then, Katie has been a constant presence in Darnold’s life. Often sharing pictures of the couple enjoying their time together. She has also been with Darnold through many of his games, cheering him on from the sidelines. Together, they have graced the red carpets of many NFL award shows, too. Now, they are celebrating a major milestone for two of their friends.
Katie Hoofnagle took to IG recently to share a story of Sam Darnold and herself, all decked up. The occasion? Celebrating the wedding of their friends Sierra and Dalton at The Farmstead, a performance and event venue. As Katie and Darnold deck up to celebrate the milestone for their friends, we also wonder whether these two are also thinking of getting married someday. While there are no updates from either of them on that front, we know for a fact that the two celebrate and cherish each other very much. Back in February, when Darnold completed his 7th year in the NFL, Katie shared a post featuring the two of them at the NFL Honors. During this offseason, the couple even went vacationing together in Orange County, California.
Katie has been rooting for Sam Darnold for a really long time now. Her words for him always have a touch of inspiration. In the post celebrating Darnold completing his 7 years with the NFL, she shared a very powerful message. No fluff. Straight from the heart. “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. 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.” And Darnold? He’s head-over-heels as he responded with a “Love you the most ”. This charismatic duo is all-in for their exciting journey together. And Darnold has also gushed about Katie’s role in his career’s success on multiple occasions.
Katie’s support for Sam Darnold’s career
As of right now, Katie is working as an Account Executive for Renvio. She’s been working remotely with Renvio for about 8 months now. Sam Darnold is moving from Minneapolis to Seattle to join the ranks of the Seahawks. It’s quite likely that Katie will make the move with him. And having his biggest supporter by his side, Darnold will surely be performing at his peak. In the QB’s own words, “The support [from] my girlfriend is unbelievable – You know, the fact that she just understands it. She’s a former athlete herself, and just gets kind of the grind of everything. When I just want to chill, she’s very up for that, especially during the season.” Katie has also made her mark on the Women’s Club Soccer team when she was at the University of South Carolina. Being an athlete herself, she understands the drive players need, and she clearly uses it to push Darnold to greater heights.
Sam Darnold’s been hopping from team to team all his career. His longest run was the three seasons with the Jets when he was drafted way back in 2018. But for the other teams, he didn’t get as much time with them. With the Panthers, he got two years. After that, it was one year each with the 49ers (2023) and Vikings (2024). This team hopping can be pretty stressful, and Darnold had also spoken up about this. “when you have those one-year deals, which a lot of guys in the NFL are on, you’re always in the back of your head thinking, ‘OK, where am I gonna play next?’” In his new place with the Seahawks, he’s got a three-year, $100m deal. For the next three years, it looks like the veteran QB finally has a place to stay.
And Darnold’s thrilled to be a part of the Seahawks, too. He recently said, “I’m so excited to finally have those 12s on my side this time. – just really looking forward to this opportunity to be here with my teammates, with these coaches. I think we have an opportunity to do something very, very special here.” As we look forward to the Seahawks’ OTAs that are coming around, fans are eager to see what “special” things the QB will bring for this season. And one thing’s for certain. Katie will be right there by his side, cheering him on the loudest.
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