After Max Brosmer entered the second half of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants and led the Minnesota Vikings to a 16-13 victory, Brian O’Neill said Brosmer was “silly” in the huddle. Then he corrected himself.
“Not silly, but there’s a lightness to him,” O’Neill qualified. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before in the huddle.”
That’s surprising only because Brosmer made the Vikings as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) this season. Few UDFAs make a 53-man roster out of training camp, let alone start a game.
Two years ago, Brosmer was finishing up his fifth year at FCS New Hampshire after earning a medical redshirt as a junior. Last year, he went 7-5 at the University of Minnesota as a graduate transfer. On Thursday, he will start his second game for the Vikings on national television against the division-rival Detroit Lions.
Life came at Max Brosmer fast. Maybe a little too fast.
Had J.J. McCarthy not injured his hand against the Giants, Brosmer’s lone start may have been his four-interception game in Seattle. Brosmer finished 19 of 30 for 126 yards and no touchdowns, good for a 32.8 passer rating. The lasting image from that game was Brosmer throwing a pick-six while trying to avoid a sack in the red zone.
Like life, DeMarcus Lawrence came at Brosmer fast. Brosmer tried to throw the ball away to avoid giving up field position, only to have Ernest Jones snatch the ball out of the air and take off quicker than the speed of sound. Still, Brosmer took it all in stride.
“My dream has been to play in the NFL for a long time,” Brosmer said after practice on Tuesday. “To define myself by one game wouldn’t be fair to the younger me, watching me play football in the NFL.”
Max Brosmer was born in Davenport, Iowa, 350 miles from Minneapolis. However, the family moved to Toronto before settling in Roswell, Ga. There, he played under Michael Perry, who had won a state championship with Deshaun Watson before coaching at Brosmer’s high school.
Perry ran a high-tempo offense that got the most out of his quarterbacks. He encouraged Brosmer to speak up in team meetings, hoping to foster constructive conversation. Brosmer continued that approach at New Hampshire and later with the Gophers and Vikings.
Brosmer’s intellect and vocal presence in the quarterback meeting room made him a perfect fit for Kevin O’Connell and his coaching staff. Minnesota’s coaches encourage players to offer suggestions and help each other better understand their complicated schemes.
The only question with Max Brosmer is whether he can be a productive NFL quarterback.
Minnesota employed Sean Mannion as Kirk Cousins’ backup under the previous regime. However, as everyone learned when Mannion had to play in place of Kirk Cousins, the Vikings were in trouble if Mannion had to start.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell moved on from Mannion when they took over. Instead, they opted to go with Nick Mullens, who had NFL experience. Mullens could operate the offense in a pinch, even if he took unnecessary risks with the ball.
Brosmer looked overwhelmed in his first start. Still, he was also playing against an elite defense in the cacophony of Lumen Field.
Afterward, Brosmer admitted that things were moving too fast for him. He’s naturally a quick processor, and his nerves and the Seattle Seahawks defense likely sent things into overdrive. On Sunday against the Giants, he said he was better able to slow things down.
“I told myself, ‘Just be slow,’” he said. “That’s what fixes being ahead of things, and I felt like the outcome was a little bit better.”
Max Brosmer will be living out his childhood dream on Thursday. He might as well savor the moment, even if it seems a little silly.
