The Vikings Remain J.J. McCarthy’s Team in 2025 and Beyond (For Now)
There was a different sense of optimism amongst the purple loyal for Vikings QB Max Brosmer to take the field on Sunday in Seattle against Sam Darnold’s Seahawks. After all, Minnesota’s quarterback play since J.J. McCarthy had been in the driver’s seat had been downright terrible and borderline unwatchable. Therefore, the undrafted free agent from the Minnesota Golden Gophers couldn’t be worse than McCarthy, right?
..right?
As fate would have it, the Vikings can’t have a single thing that is considered “nice” in any sense of the word. After some of the literal worst quarterback play in NFL history with McCarthy, it turns out that Brosmer is even worse than that. Why wouldn’t he be? You seriously thought that the franchise would potentially be bailed out by an undrafted free agent at the quarterback position when they haven’t even ever shown the ability to get one in the first round, let alone one not drafted whatsoever?
Ok, maybe I did a little bit too.
Vikings’ QB Brosmer Inspires No Hope
Our own Janik Eckardt described the expectations that fans were building for Brosmer going into Sunday in Seattle:
“Entering the game, Vikings fans had some hope that Max Brosmer could turn into the league’s new underdog story. Comparisons with Brock Purdy were everywhere. The undrafted rookie got his first start in place of concussed QB1 J.J. McCarthy, and he had a chance to change his career trajectory.“
He also summarized the performance of Brosmer quite nicely as well:
“Well, he failed to do that and just looked like an undrafted rookie in his first career game. His final numbers: 19/30 for 126 yards and four interceptions. Brosmer took four sacks, and his pick-six pretty much put the game out of reach. At no point did it ever feel realistic that the Vikings could overcome a ten-point deficit with him in command of the offense.“
There was never a true point at which the Vikings’ offense looked like it might actually be a threat to the Seattle defense in that game. The only time they were was when Dallas Turner forced a strip sack on Sam Darnold, setting up the Vikings on the Seahawks’ 13-yard line. This, of course, resulted in nothing except a Seattle touchdown after Brosmer threw one of the absolute worst interceptions you will ever see at any level of football.
Brosmer couldn’t even find ways to get Justin Jefferson the football, resulting in one of the best football players on the planet having only two receptions for four total yards.
McCarthy Remains the QB1 For Now
As I mentioned, Brosmer’s performance yesterday was somehow worse than what we have seen from McCarthy to this point. Now that it has come to light that Brosmer might not actually be the future of the Minnesota Vikings (shocker), we are back to square one with the former Michigan Wolverine.
McCarthy has always been the plan, and it looks like that isn’t changing. At least, not in 2025. It is now completely and ultimately up to J.J. McCarthy and Kevin O’Connell to see “Nine” develop and become the franchise QB he is supposed to be.
