The Passtronaut Found a New Spaceship
During the 2023 season, Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the game against the Packers, leaving the Vikings scrambling for help at the quarterback position. Some dreamt about luring Tom Brady out of retirement, others wanted a big trade or roll with rookie Jaren Hall. Ultimately, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah called the Cardinals to bring the Passtronaut to the Twin Cities.
The Passtronaut Found a New Spaceship
Josh Dobbs started in Arizona due to Kyler Murray’s knee injury, but when the QB1 was close to returning, it was time for him to take flight elsewhere. Planned as a backup in the Week 9 game against the Falcons, he was suddenly in the huddle following Hall’s concussion.
Dobbs-mania was a fun chapter in Vikings history. The New England Patriots now have the opportunity to revive some of that, although he was obviously hired to be Drake Maye’s backup.
Adam Schefter broke the news, “Josh Dobbs reached agreement on a two-year deal with the New England Patriots, per his agent Mike McCartney.”
Tom Pelissero added the compensation to the conversation, “Compensation update: The Patriots are signing Josh Dobbs to a two-year, $8 million deal with $3.8M fully guaranteed, per source.”
Dobbs has been a journeyman in his entire career, having stints with various franchises.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2017-2019)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2019)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2020-2021)
- Cleveland Browns (2022)
- Detroit Lions (2022)
- Tennessee Titans (2022)
- Cleveland Browns (2023)
- Arizona Cardinals (2023)
- Minnesota Vikings (2023)
- San Francisco 49ers (2024)
- New England Patriots (2025)
One interesting wrinkle that might explain his move to the Patriots is the short stint in 2022 when he started a couple of games for the Titans. Their head coach was Mike Vrabel, the new head coach of Dobbs and the New England Patriots.
Dobbs had almost a Vikings-like experience with the Titans. Unfortunately, his performance a week after signing with the club resulted in a loss, but it surely put him on the map after being a QB3 or worse for years.
That and a couple of preseason games with the Browns were enough for the Cardinals to pull the trigger and hire him to take over the offense during Murray’s absence.
His time with the Vikings, however, was rather legendary. He entered the game just a handful of days after arriving in Minnesota. The offensive line didn’t know his snap cadence, he didn’t know the plays, and probably even the names of the receivers were unfamiliar to the Tennessee alumnus.
A struggling start with some shaky play was followed by an unbelievable comeback victory. His scrambles out of sacks and backyard-style playmaking ability seconds after getting an introduction on the play calls from Kevin O’Connell was something that doesn’t happen in the NFL, a league that has players prepare for months for the season.
He then played an outstanding first half against the Saints. Unfortunately, his magic slowly dwindled, and he was ultimately benched for Nick Mullens a few weeks later. Dobbs played in five games with the Vikings (four starts) and tabulated 895 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, and five interceptions as well as 163 yards and three scores on the ground. The Vikings went 2-2 in his four starts.
Following his Vikings chapter, the 49ers signed Dobbs, and he started one game, backing up Brock Purdy all year.
Dobbs will always have a special place in the hearts of Vikings fans. He turned 30 in January.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt