Rookie quarterback Max Brosmer of the Minnesota Vikings makes his first NFL start this weekend as the Vikings travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks. Brosmer, an undrafted free agent steps in for Minnesota starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was placed on the team’s concussion protocol due to a still-to-be-determined hit he received in the loss to Green Bay last Sunday. Brosmer takes the helm of a Vikings team that has struggled all season.
First, the team was hit with a slew of injuries to start the season. Especially hit hard in this period were the offensive line and a couple of defensive standouts, Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel. And McCarthy has missed considerable time in his young career due to a string of injuries. When he has played, he has shown an inability to hit the open receiver, especially frustrating All-Pro Justin Jefferson. Minnesota hopes that Brosmer can bring a sense of calm back to the Vikings’ offense.
Who is Max Brosmer?
Max Brosmer had a prolific career playing for Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia. During his time there, he passed for 7,252 passing yards, 61 touchdowns, and rushed for 789 yards. Lightly recruited, he matriculated to the University of New Hampshire, where in 2023 he led the FCS with 3,464 passing yards and added 29 touchdown passes.
With a year of eligibility remaining, Brosmer entered the transfer portal and was heavily recruited by University of Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck. He signed with the Gophers before the 2024 season.
Before he even threw a pass at Minnesota, Brosmer was named a team captain. With his natural leadership ability and calm, cool presence, the Gophers players had immediate trust in their new quarterback. After a rough start against the University of North Carolina, he ended the year with 2,828 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He led the Gophers to a seven-win regular season, including upsets of ranked opponents USC and Illinois. Minnesota capped its season with a 24-10 win over the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2025 Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Rare Qualities and Becoming a Viking
Fleck would rave about Brosmer’s leadership, maturity, quiet confidence, and, most of all, his elite processing skills on the field. A prime example is this touchdown pass to Elijah Spencer in a game against Maryland. He went through his progressions and hit his third option (Spencer) for the touchdown.
At a press event last season, I asked Brosmer how it felt to have the weight of the team on his shoulders as the quarterback and team captain. He replied that it was a role he was very comfortable with and that he appreciated the additional responsibility his teammates placed on him.
After some strong pre-draft workouts, experts thought Brosmer could be drafted in a later round. When he wasn’t, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and the team swiftly scooped in to sign him to a free agent contract. O’Connell had observed Brosmer at a pro day even before he had played a down with the Gophers. After a solid training camp and some confidence-boosting play in the preseason, Max broke camp with Minnesota as their third-string quarterback behind McCarthy and Carson Wentz.
The only game action Brosmer has seen to date was a brief kneel-down in a game against the Cleveland Browns in London after Wentz exited with a minor injury. Still, the Vikings resisted the temptation to bring in a veteran backup after Wentz was ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury. And as McCarthy’s struggled since returning from a high ankle sprain, the voices calling for Brosmer to play have grown louder with each week.
Prediction
I cannot guarantee that Max Brosmer will set the football world on fire when he takes the reins of the Vikings offense against the Seahawks this Sunday. What I can tell you is that you will witness a player who maintains his composure, makes good decisions, doesn’t panic, and processes his reads in quick order. At this point in the season, that may be enough for Minnesota and its fans.
