Ranking the Recent Vikings Backup QBs
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings recently traded for QB Nick Mullens, and he is seemingly going to be the choice for the backup QB spot heading into the 2022 season. Because of this, it seems right to go through and rank some of the more recent backups that the Vikings have had over the years. Here is the list of every backup QB from 2013 until now. Let us know where you think Mullens will land on this list when the 2022 season wraps up!
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1. Case Keenum (2017)
You can’t start a list of Vikings backup QBs without putting Case Keenum at the top. Keenum obviously got thrown into the starting lineup when Sam Bradford went down for the year with another knee injury.
The fifth-year veteran thrived in his 14 regular season starts, passing for 3547 yards, 22 TDs, seven interceptions, and leading three game-winning drives en route to an 11-3 record. Then, in the playoffs we all remember the Minneapolis Miracle against the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. Keenum is bar-none the best backup QB the Vikings have seen in this past decade.
2. Matt Cassell (2013)
After a long career with the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, it was clear in the 2012 season that things were beginning to wind down for Matt Cassell. Appearing in nine games and making 8 starts, Cassell threw just six touchdown passes compared to 12 interceptions.
The Vikings picked him up ahead of the 2013 season to back up Christian Ponder. Ponder went through a couple injuries during the year, and Cassel was forced to start six games. The Vikings went 3-3 in these games, and in the nine games Cassel appeared in, he passed for 1807 yards, 11 TDs, and nine INTs.
Considering the Vikings went 2-6-1 with Christian Ponder under center, and Ponder threw for fewer yards and TDs in these nine starts, Cassel’s backup season has to be considered a pretty great success. The Vikings thought so too and gave him the starting job in 2014, which we’ll get to in a second. Cassel comes in second on this list because of his career success and being thrown into a very difficult situation with a not-so-great Vikings roster around him.
3. Teddy Bridgewater (2014)
Teddy Bridgewater joins Case Keenum as the only Vikings backup QBs in the past decade to have to start 10-plus games in a season. After being selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 draft, Bridgewater joined the Vikings as the backup to Matt Cassel, beating out Christian Ponder for the QB2 spot.
Bridgewater would get thrown into the fire very early as Cassel went down with a broken foot in Week 3. Bridgewater would go on to start 12 games in his rookie season, leading the Vikes to a 6-6 record in those games and passing for 2919 yards, 14 TDs, and 12 INTs. Bridgewater was named the starter in 2015, led the Vikings to the playoffs with an 11-5 record, and well, we know what happened after that.
4. Shaun Hill (2015-16)
Shaun Hill was a career backup QB during his 12-year NFL career, but he was dang good at it. He actually got his career started with the Vikings back in 2005, but he only appeared in one game and didn’t attempt a pass.
Then in 2015, he came back to Minnesota after a career in which he had 34 games, with his teams going 16-18. In San Francisco the year prior, he played in nine games with eight starts and passed for 1657 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
In Hill’s second stint with the Vikings he had to start just one game, a Week 1 victory over the Tennessee Titans in 2016. Since that season, he hasn’t appeared in another NFL game.
5. Trevor Siemian (2018)
Trevor Siemian had a very quiet 2018 season with the Minnesota Vikings where he did not attempt a single pass as Kirk Cousins’ backup. However, he had proven in his years with the Denver Broncos that he could at least step onto the field if need be and throw the football with confidence.
From 2016-17, he appeared in 25 games, starting 24, and passed for 5686 yards, 30 TDs, and 24 INTs. The Broncos went 13-11 in his 24 starts. If something were to happen to Cousins, Siemian could have at least kept things interesting.
6. Sean Mannion (2019-2021)
Yes, the longest tenured backup on this list also happens to come in last. Sean Mannion is praised by many around the league for his locker room presence and ability to coach the starting QB, but whenever he had to fill in on the field, he has always looked out of place. His team has never won in games he’s started, and that cannot be overlooked.
