Sam Darnold's Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks has come with an unexpected financial sting. The quarterback, who led his team to a 29-13 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, is reportedly set to lose money on the game due to California's 'jock tax'.
According to financial reports from Sportico, Darnold will owe the state of California $249,000, significantly more than the $178,000 league bonus he earned for the championship win. The tax is levied on professional athletes who work temporarily in the state but live elsewhere, calculated based on 'duty days' – any day an athlete performs services under contract within California.
Darnold and the Seahawks arrived in Northern California on February 1, accumulating eight duty days by the time the final whistle blew. The tax hit is compounded by the fact that Seattle played both the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams away earlier in the regular season. Even the losing Patriots players face tax hits on their $103,000 runner-up bonuses.
Despite the financial blow, Darnold likely won't mind after a stellar performance: he completed 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown, with no turnovers. The defining moment came in the fourth quarter when he connected with tight end AJ Barner for a crucial 16-yard touchdown. For Darnold, who is in the middle of a three-year, $105 million deal, the net loss of $71,000 is manageable, but the tax applies to all 53 players on the roster, many of whom earn far less.
The Seahawks are expected to face even higher tax bills in 2026, with more games scheduled in California. Ironically, Washington state, the team's home, is also considering its own version of the tax, which could mean players pay double in the future.
