The Minnesota Vikings went from a Super Bowl contending, 14-game winner playing for the NFC North title with the conference's No. 1 seed and a wild-card bye on the line -- before Week 18's 31-9 defeat by the Detroit Lions -- to an early playoff exit because of a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Vikings QB Sam Darnold was on his way to a big payday this offseason. But two bad games may have cost him his job — and millions.

As Vikings QB Sam Darnold's dream season sputtered to a close Monday night in a playoff loss to the Rams, he now heads toward free agency with his future as unsettled as ever.