When the Minnesota Vikings traded Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles, Max Brosmer probably celebrated a little. The UDFA successfully made the Vikings roster over two veteran quarterbacks to earn his spot on the team.
While Carson Wentz will serve as J.J. McCarthy’s backup at the beginning of the season, Brosmer could continue his ascent in a full season learning under Kevin O’Connell. However, that’s a story we can save for later.
What’s important right now is that the Howell trade officially gave Brosmer the coveted “Mr. Mankato” title. There’s a good chance that he’s one of the most significant players to win the facetious award that we’ve ever seen.
First, we need to take a step back for the younger generation of fans. Before the Vikings made their own village, complete with hotels and restaurants, around the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, they held training camp on the Minnesota State University-Mankato campus. The 52-year tradition is filled with stories of Gage Hall and Blakeslee Stadium, and eventually became home to the “Mr. Mankato” award.
“Mr. Mankato” is awarded to the player to highlight and acknowledge lesser-known or under-the-radar players at Vikings training camp. It has been credited to SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad and Phil Mackey, and the first winner was wide receiver Adam Thielen in 2014.
The Detroit Lakes-born Thielen, who attended Mankato and rose to stardom, will forever be at the top of the list of “Mr. Mankato” winners. But Brosmer has a chance to give him a run for his money after making the team.
There was no bigger winner in this year’s training camp than Brosmer. While Howell struggled to pick up O’Connell’s offense, Brosmer had no such issues. Brosmer’s flashes in practice carried over. He completed 35 of 58 passes (60.3%) for 364 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in Minnesota’s three preseason games.
Other players, such as defensive tackle Elijah Williams and cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn, could be listed as winners. Still, few had the challenge of pleasing O’Connell, who was dubbed “The Quarterback Killer” by the front office as he searched for a franchise signal caller. Brosmer passed that challenge with flying colors, but it’s not the only reason he may be one of the best Mr. Mankatos.
Minnesotans can be pretty provincial, and it’s a big reason why some Vikings fans won’t accept any receiver other than Thielen as they scramble for another pass catcher. While Brosmer isn’t a native Minnesotan, he starred for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, helping them reach their perennial bar of eight wins.
You may laugh at that thought, but Brosmer pulled off an upset against USC and nearly did the same on the road at Michigan and in a home matchup with Penn State later in the year. He also defeated Wisconsin to retain Paul Bunyan’s Axe. If the Gophers had held on for an early-season win against North Carolina, the outcome could have been much different than P.J. Fleck getting a mayo bath.
There’s even a conversation that the hype meter could be turned up to “potential CFP playoff spot” if Brosmer had eligibility remaining. But becoming a solid backup for the Vikings could be the next best thing.
Vikings fans know what can go wrong at the quarterback position. While J.J. McCarthy is firmly entrenched as the starter for the foreseeable future, an injury could give Brosmer another opportunity to shine. If even that doesn’t appear, the Vikings could experience what the Chicago Bears are enjoying with Tyson Bagent — a cheap quarterback who doesn’t get wide-eyed when thrust into action.
There’s also another level to Brosmer’s development. If McCarthy turns out to be what the Vikings expect him to become, Brosmer could be a hot trade commodity. Perhaps suggesting he could be the next Kurt Warner or Brock Purdy is too aggressive. Still, he could at least carve out a successful career if he continues to learn from O’Connell.
That’s probably not enough to overtake Thielen, who has the coolest origin story of any player in the history of the franchise. However, it could be enough to put Brosmer right up there as a cheap quarterback who could back up McCarthy and eventually become a player that other teams would make an offer to acquire.
With apologies to Kyle Sloter, Cam Dantzler, and Brandon Dillon, Brosmer has the edge and could go down as one of the greatest players to win this prestigious (but fictional) award.