Before Darnold arrived in Carolina for his fourth season in 2021, then-Panthers coach Matt Rhule had Gannon speak with Darnold about his journey. Gannon told Darnold he had all the tools he needed to be great. He just had to make better decisions.

“You think Sam has been around a long time, but the kid is only 27,” Gannon said. “And he’s in a great situation. Kevin O’Connell, there’s a method to his X’s and O’s madness. I think he’s great.

“But what he’s really done is restored Sam’s confidence. That swagger, that juice is back for Sam. The control of the group, the control of the system, the acoustic signals, the controls – he has matured mentally and emotionally in many ways and that is very noticeable.

Winning or coming close to the MVP title could be the culmination of one of the most lucrative contract year performances of all time. Maybe even bigger than the one Baker Mayfield used to sign a three-year, $100 million deal with Tampa Bay last year.

The Vikings will wait until after the season to address the situation. They will have first-round draft pick JJ McCarthy coming back from injury and desperately needed elsewhere, which will require significant cap room to fill in free agency.

“There will be a time and a place to figure out what’s best in the long term, to really discuss and dive into our future,” O’Connell said. “And ultimately, Sam has earned the right to have a big say here too. At the moment I’m just proud of this team and excited to see where it goes this season.”