Super Bowl 2026: Meet Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and his family
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold comes from a family of athletes who cheered him on to victory at Super Bowl LX.
Darnold led the Seahawks to a 29-13 win against the New England Patriots on Feb. 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Super Bowl victory was a first for Darnold, who has played in the NFL since 2018.
Here's what to know about the Seahawks quarterback and his family, including his fiancee Katie Hoofnagle.
Sam Darnold was born and raised in California
Darnold had home state advantage in Sunday's game, having grown up in Capistrano Beach, California, and having played football for the University of Southern California, according to his NFL bio.
He was drafted into the NFL in 2018, and went onto play for the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings.
Darnold has played for the Seahawks since 2025, according to his bio.
His parents and sister were college athletes
Darnold's father Mike Darnold played college football, and his mother Chris Darnold played college volleyball.
His older sister Franki Darnold followed in her mom's footsteps and was also a collegiate volleyball player, according to a 2017 Sports Illustrated profile of the family.
Sam Darnold's grandfather, Dick Hammer, was a USC basketball star and an Olympic volleyball player, according to SI.
He proposed to Katie Hoofnagle over the summer
Sam Darnold proposed to his longtime girlfriend in July on the beach in Dana Point, California, according to the couple's joint social media post announcing their engagement.
Hoofnagle paid tribute to Sam Darnold on his birthday just one month before announcing their engagement, writing on Instagram, "Amidst the chaos of our everyday lives, every day spent with you is filled with an abundance of peace, laughter, presence, joy, and love. Here's to another trip around the sun sharing good meals, good music, and good company. Happy 28th birthday to my better half, I love you more 🤍."
Katie Hoofnagle is also an athlete
In a March 2025 interview with Us Weekly, Sam Darnold credited Hoofnagle with understanding the demands of his pro athlete career.
According to the outlet, Hoofnagle played club soccer at the University of South Carolina.
"The support [from] my girlfriend is unbelievable," Darnold said. "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."
