Backup QBs Drew Lock and Joshua Dobbs find inspiration in Sam Darnold and Drake Maye’s success

By Canadian Press on February 7, 2026.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Day in and day out, Drew Lock and Joshua Dobbs have had a front row seat to watch Sam Darnold and Drake Maye emerge as leaders at quarterback in two different parts of their careers.

Darnold, in his eighth season, has had a resurgence in Year 1 with the Seattle Seahawks after stints with four other teams, notably failing to pan out as the No. 3 pick by the New York Jets in 2018 from USC.

Maye finished second in MVP voting in just his second year with New England after being drafted eighth out of North Carolina in 2024. Both are ready to lead their teams in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Few are as close to either quarterback as their backups. Lock, who is on his third team in six seasons, said watching Darnold blossom at this stage of his career has given him hope that he can still pan out as a starter.

“The perspective is perfect. You have to be ready for when that time comes for yourself, and do everything you can to prepare for whenever that time comes,” Lock said. “You’re never gonna know — it’s not up to you. It’s about being ready.”

Dobbs, who is on his sixth team in seven years, said he watched Maye take the Patriots from 4-13 last year to AFC champs and grow in the process.

“He’s himself. He’s authentic. He’s an authentic leader,” said Dobbs, who played at Tennessee. “He’s himself every day. He pushes the guys to get better, to see the game from his perspective. He takes himself out of his comfort zone in order to interact with different guys in the locker room.”

While the football world has all eyes on Darnold and Dobbs for what they’ve accomplished this year, the quarterback tandem was quick to credit their backups for their success on the field.

Darnold said that Lock, who played his college ball at Missouri, sees aspects of the game that both he and the coaching staff miss. Maye said that the support of Dobbs has meant the world to him.

The backups expressed appreciation for being noticed in their roles, even though it’s as the No. 2 guy in the room.

“I try to be myself, provide input when I see something, and if I don’t, I’m never the person that has to be heard,” Dobbs said. “I’ve had some unique experiences in the NFL, and it’s been cool to be able to have a great QB room and great young teammates around me that are open and willing and listening to all the older veteran presences in the locker room.”

While Dobbs watched Maye take off in a way that won’t happen in his career, Lock and Darnold had similar career paths. Both bounced around a handful of teams before earning their stripes.

Despite the relatable journey, the pair of Seahawks don’t dwell on the past and have cherished the road to the Super Bowl.

“We don’t give each other the sob stories about the years prior,” Lock said. “If anything, it may be about a couple football things that we’ve learned, but we both know each other’s story. We both understand that. We both have been there. I think it goes without being said. We kind of understand it.”

Both Darnold and Maye have been in the headlines the whole week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, playing a large role in taking their teams to the final game of the season.

It’s been awesome to watch, for Lock and Dobbs. But neither would mind a top job in some future season.

Said Dobbs: “I know given an opportunity to start with a team and get the reps, OTAs, minicamp, training camp and into the season, that I can go out and play some really good football and lead the team to a lot of victories as a starting quarterback.”

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Lyle Alenstein is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Lyle Alenstein, The Associated Press

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