Darnold’s calm way came at bit of cost

The knuckle below Sam Darnold’s freckled right pinkie is still slightly out of place.

It serves as a once-painful reminder that the New York Jets rookie quarterback needs to keep his emotions in

ROUNDUP

check even in the most frustrating of circumstances.

“I feel like I always remain calm,” Darnold said in a sitdown interview with The Associated Press, “just because I learned a hard lesson that day.”

It came on a basketball court, of all places, courtesy of a crushed metal door.

Darnold was a junior in high school when his San Clemente basketball squad was playing league-rival Trabuco Hills on Jan. 17, 2014. Darnold’s Tritons held a 14-point halftime lead and appeared on their way to an easy victory.

Until they blew it. And then, Darnold completely lost it. He put his right fist through his locker.

“At first, I didn’t realize it was broken,” Darnold recalled while lifting his hand and pointing to his knuckle. “You can see it right there. I just punched it because I was so mad and I just sat there (ticked) off.”

Darnold didn’t need surgery, but missed the last seven games of the regular season. He would return for the postseason, but his approach to adversity needed serious repair.

“Ever since that moment,” Darnold said, “in times when things maybe aren’t going the way I would like them to — even in life, not just sports, but life, too — I always try to remain calm.”

• The Detroit Lions signed defensive end Eric Lee

to the active roster from the practice squad.

• The Green Bay Packers signed rookie cornerback Tony Brown to the active roster from the practice squad after placing defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson

on injured reserve.