Brosmer to start in Vikings vs Seahawks: Reunion with Darnold

J.J. McCarthy entered the NFL concussion protocol last week, months after Sam Darnold left Minnesota to join Seattle. The situation of both players will have a direct impact on Sunday’s matchup between the Vikings, without Darnold, and the Seahawks, led by Darnold. During the last quarter of last week’s game in Green Bay, McCarthy suffered two hits to the head, the first after being tackled by Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, and the second on the next play, after being chased and tackled by Green Bay defensive end Kingsley Enagbare. McCarthy reported his symptoms on the flight back to Minnesota from Green Bay and entered concussion protocol, where he currently remains. With McCarthy out of the game, the Vikings will start with undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, who shined last season at the University of Minnesota. The Vikings find themselves in a situation they hoped to avoid, especially after two of their quarterbacks, Darnold and Daniel Jones, were about to become free agents. The Vikings tried to retain Darnold, but they weren’t as aggressive as the Seahawks. Seattle offered Darnold more money and more years, which demonstrated their interest and valuation of the player, thus securing their new starting quarterback. Darnold has thrived in Seattle. On the other hand, McCarthy has dealt with a season plagued by injuries, first with a sprained ankle in Week 2 that prevented him from playing until recently, and now the concussion that will keep him out of at least Sunday’s game.

J.J. McCarthy’s concussion opened the door for undrafted rookie Max Brosmer (right) to make his first career start Sunday against the Seahawks.Jevone Moore/Icon SportswireThe Vikings will now turn to Brosmer, whom they have been observing since last year. The player caught the attention of the Vikings’ executives at the University of Minnesota’s pro day in March 2024, just after transferring from the University of New Hampshire. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah attended and were impressed. Golden Gophers coach P.J. Fleck advocated for Brosmer with Adofo-Mensah, who fought for the young quarterback to receive an invitation to the NFL scouting combine last February. Adofo-Mensah defended Brosmer even though the Vikings, who entered the 2025 draft with only four selections, didn’t have many chances to draft him. A few weeks later, at Minnesota’s pro day in 2025, the Vikings’ general manager was heard saying that he “almost wished” he hadn’t advocated for Brosmer for the combine “because then he would really be our secret”.

Max Brosmer was invited to the 2025 NFL scouting combine thanks in part to Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who lobbied for the QB even though the Vikings had only 4 picks in the draft and didn’t have a good chance of selecting him.

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Brosmer was ultimately not drafted, but the Vikings were the most aggressive team in signing him. He will become the first quarterback to make his first start for an NFL team in the same state where he played college football since Joshua Dobbs, who played at the University of Tennessee and made his first start for the Titans in 2022. Brosmer also attended the same high school as Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald: Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia. So, the Vikings lost Darnold but got Brosmer, and now they’ll have the chance to see both quarterbacks face off on Sunday in Seattle.