Last time was in 2010

[Ruminator]

The Seahawks have acquired a rare difference-maker in Sam Darnold that may prove to be nearly as momentous to the team’s fortunes as was the acquisition of Lynch from the Bills back in 2010. If you're now scrambling to hit the Reply button to try to cut this notion down as absurd or to bemoan how it fails to acknowledge other players back then, please don't bother, I'm just speculating. But consider: Lynch wasn't the best fit in Buffalo, and then flourished obscenely in Seattle. Same might be happening with Sam -- not being the best fit in his previous stints, but possibly about to embark on the best years of his career, by far, in Seattle. A city where he says he finally feels "at home."

We shall soon see.

A Sam clip from 2021:

 

[sutz]

Well, I seem to remember it took a while for Lynch to really shine until we upgraded the O-line. Sam is making more of an immediate impact.

 

[Hawkstud]

The Seahawks have acquired a rare difference-maker in Sam Darnold that may prove to be nearly as momentous to the team’s fortunes as was the acquisition of Lynch from the Bills back in 2010. If you're now scrambling to hit the Reply button to try to cut this notion down as absurd or to bemoan how it fails to acknowledge other players back then, please don't bother, I'm just speculating. But consider: Lynch wasn't the best fit in Buffalo, and then flourished obscenely in Seattle. Same might be happening with Sam -- not being the best fit in his previous stints, but possibly about to embark on the best years of his career, by far, in Seattle. A city where he says he finally feels "at home."

We shall soon see.

A Sam clip from 2021:

BOOK IT!!, Sam Darnold is John Shneider's 2nd "Lightening in a Bottle" Quarterback acquisition.
Samuel Darnold is 'THE POCKET PASSER' that Russell Wilson could never be.

 

[evergreen]

Definitely lightning in a bottle. And we got the D to prove it.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Sam Darnold having a pretty moon ball only validates the Shaheed trade further.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

This right here ^^^^

 

[Ruminator]

Here's an interesting (well, insane as the below states) "rare difference-maker" tidbit that supports the OP ruminations: