Sam Darnold wanted everyone to be part of his biggest moment in the NFL

Sam Darnold wasn't going to cry when he joined the ESPN desk after winning the Super Bowl last night, but we would've understood if he did.

Darnold became the first USC quarterback to start and win the Super Bowl, but his journey there from being the No. 3 overall pick was not without a ton of adversity, and it required a lot of support and self-determination along the way.

That's probably why Darnold had a list of people he wanted to mention and thank while he took in the glory of being a Super Bowl champion. At that moment, he wanted to share it with everyone that never gave up on him. 

"I'm not usually a cryer or an emotional person...no, I'm not gonna to cry right now, but just being able to share a moment just now, like five minutes ago, with my parents and Katie, my fiancé... My parents. They believed in me," Darnold said. "They believed in me from when I was a child playing this game. I credit them for why I'm still here and why I'm still chasing this dream. Because they always believed in me, and it allowed me to believe in myself."

Sam Darnold appreciates everyone that helped him get here

If there was ever a player who had a right to be bitter, it's Darnold. He could be angry with the New York Jets, who drafted him and failed to develop him before trading him to the Carolina Panthers. He could really be angry with the Minnesota Vikings after leading them to 14 wins, only for the organization to not give him the deserved credit for the season and letting him walk to keep J.J. McCarthy. 

Instead, he would rather spend his time mentioning the people that made Sunday possible. His coaches, his teammates, his support system. It's a testament to his leadership that, in his greatest moment, he gave credit to everyone else but himself. 

"It's just like the perfect blend of people that are in that building every single day from the top down, from Jody [Allen] all the way down. It's just a special group and I can't say that enough," Darnold concluded.