Sam Darnold and Fiancée Celebrate Seahawks' Super Bowl 2026 Victory

The quarterback and his partner, Katie Hoofnagle, enjoyed a victory lap at Disneyland after the big win.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Two days after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl 2026, quarterback Sam Darnold and his fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle, celebrated the victory with a trip to Disneyland. Hoofnagle shared an inside look at the couple's postgame festivities, including Darnold's on-field embrace with his partner and Hoofnagle getting to hold the Lombardi Trophy. Darnold, a former first-round pick who revived his career after stints with the Jets and Panthers, signed with the Seahawks last March and led the team to its second Super Bowl championship.

Why it matters

Darnold's Super Bowl win with the Seahawks caps off a remarkable career turnaround after he was once considered a castoff following failed tenures with the Jets and Panthers. His success in Seattle underscores the team's ability to identify and develop talent, as well as the resilience of players who are able to overcome early career setbacks.

The details

In the moments after the Seahawks' 29-13 victory over the Patriots, Darnold embraced his fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle, on the field at Levi's Stadium. Hoofnagle then got a chance to hold the Lombardi Trophy. Darnold, who went 19-for-38 with 202 yards and one touchdown, said his focus was on taking care of the football and making plays when needed. After spending the 2023 season as a backup in San Francisco, Darnold revived his career with a surprise 14-3 campaign in Minnesota before signing a three-year, $100.5 million deal with Seattle in free agency last March.

  • Two days after the Seahawks' Super Bowl 2026 win on Sunday, February 9, 2026.
  • Darnold and Hoofnagle celebrated the victory at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Sam Darnold

The 28-year-old quarterback who led the Seattle Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl 2026 after reviving his career following failed stints with the Jets and Panthers.

Katie Hoofnagle

Darnold's fiancée, who shared an inside look at the couple's postgame celebrations on social media.

Kenneth Walker III

The Seahawks' Super Bowl 2026 MVP running back who joined Darnold on the victory lap at Disneyland.

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What they’re saying

“My job was to take care of the football. If I had to take sacks or throw the ball away I would do it. I just played that kind of game.”

— Sam Darnold, Quarterback

What’s next

The Seahawks and their fans will celebrate the team's second Super Bowl championship with a victory parade in downtown Seattle in the coming days.

The takeaway

Sam Darnold's Super Bowl triumph with the Seahawks represents a remarkable career turnaround, as the former first-round pick was once considered a castoff before reviving his career and leading Seattle to its second championship. His success underscores the team's talent evaluation and development capabilities, as well as the resilience of players who can overcome early career setbacks.