The atmosphere was lively at the Super Bowl Opening Night as Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was playfully honored with chants of “Ham for Sam.” The event took place on Monday night during his media session, where Darnold was presented with a quirky “Ham for Sam” button, hat, and serape by Guillermo, a personality from “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Guillermo humorously opened the interaction by stating, “Everybody is saying gay for Maye, but not me, I say, Ham for Sam.” He then gifted Darnold the fun items, which included a large plastic ham hat. Darnold briefly donned the hat before showcasing the serape, visibly amused and slightly embarrassed by the attention.
As the crowd joined in chanting for him, Darnold smiled and responded, “No, no, no you guys are good. You don”t have to do that. That”s really nice. Thank you, you don”t have to do that.” This lighthearted moment was a highlight during the event, which featured numerous press conferences.
Darnold has emerged as a significant storyline during this playoff season, particularly in New York, where he spent his first three years in the NFL. His time there was marked by struggles before he was traded to Carolina in 2021. Over the past two seasons, Darnold has experienced a remarkable resurgence, evolving into a standout quarterback with the Vikings and now with the Seahawks. In the 2025 season, he threw for 4,048 yards, completing 323 passes and recording 25 touchdown passes.
During the hour-long press session at the Super Bowl Opening Night, Darnold fielded various questions. Guillermo also made his presence felt in other press conferences that night, including a humorous exchange with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. As part of a long-running comedic bit about a feud between Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon, Guillermo cheekily asked Vrabel if he wanted to convey a message to the Academy Award winner, implying that “he sucks.”
