With J.J. McCarthy sidelined, Max Brosmer faces immense pressure. Can this unproven backup overcome doubt and criticism in his NFL debut?
The Minnesota Vikings could be back to square one at quarterback on Sunday. They are set to be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy who is in concussion protocol. With no Carson Wentz to fill in at the position, former University of Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer is set to replace McCarthy at quarterback.
Brosmer is unproven to be sure. Sunday would become his first NFL start of his career. To this point, the inexperienced signal caller is 5-for-8 for 42 passing yards in his short career. Many are not buying that Brosmer is a solution for the team in their matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Some are projecting "big trouble" for the Vikings heading into the game. After all, he can't be expected to be any better than the starter. Unfortunately, he can't be expected to be any worse. If he is, he might qualify as historically bad.
McCarthy's last outing saw him complete 12-of-19 attempts for 87 yards and two interceptions. He holds a 24.9 QBR and ranks No. 33 in the league in QBR this season. He's No. 45 in passer rating with a 57.9 rating. Add to that McCarthy's negative expected points added (-0.45) and the only way to go at quarterback is up. Then again, young quarterbacks have been known to fall short of low expectations more than once before.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) hands off to running back Cam Akers (31) in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. The Vikings won, 48-10.Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesNathan Peterman once had a doozy of a first game for the Buffalo Bills in 2017. Peterman's first start saw him throw five interceptions in the first half.
Perhaps the most realistic expectation is Brosmer has a game similar to that of Dallas' Ben Dinucci's first start in 2020. Dinucci completed 21-of-40 passes for 180 yards, with two fumbles. He was sacked four times. Needless to say, that's not the type of performance the Vikings are hoping for on Sunday.
It's too early to say whether or not the Vikings are in trouble because Brosmer is starting, but their 2025 season prospects are not promising. The team is 4-7 after going 14-3 last season. Now the team is closer to joining the race for a Top 10 draft pick than a bid for the postseason.
The expectations should be lower on Sunday, but the game presents a chance for a brighter storyline coming out of Minnesota than there has been in a while this season. Brosmer will hope to win his first start on Sunday, and the Vikings will hope to find a long-term backup solution at quarterback with a surprise win.