From Undrafted to Under Center: Max Brosmer’s Unexpected Rise in Minnesota
There’s something about Max Brosmer that doesn’t quite fit the typical NFL quarterback mold - and that might be exactly what makes him so intriguing.
When Brosmer stepped into the huddle during the second half of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, the Vikings offense didn’t just get a new quarterback - they got a new energy. Offensive tackle Brian O’Neill described Brosmer as “silly” in the huddle.
Then, with a laugh, he walked it back: “Not silly, but there’s a lightness to him. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before in the huddle.”
That kind of presence is rare, especially from a rookie who wasn’t even drafted. But Brosmer, who made the Vikings' 53-man roster as a UDFA, has already defied the odds just by being here.
Most undrafted quarterbacks don’t make it past training camp. Brosmer not only made the team - he’s now starting games in December with playoff implications on the line.
Two years ago, he was wrapping up his fifth season at FCS New Hampshire, having taken a medical redshirt earlier in his college career. Last year, he transferred to Minnesota and led the Gophers to a 7-5 record. Now, he’s preparing to start under the bright lights of national television on Thursday night against the division-rival Detroit Lions.
To say things have moved quickly would be an understatement.
Had J.J. McCarthy not gone down with a hand injury against the Giants, Brosmer’s only start might’ve been the forgettable one in Seattle - a game where everything that could go wrong, did.
He completed 19 of 30 passes for 126 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions. His passer rating?
A brutal 32.8. The defining moment came when, trying to avoid a sack in the red zone, Brosmer forced a throw that was picked off by Ernest Jones and returned 84 yards for a touchdown.
That was a welcome-to-the-NFL moment, no doubt. DeMarcus Lawrence came screaming off the edge, and Brosmer, trying to salvage the play, made a rookie mistake - the kind that gets replayed on highlight reels for all the wrong reasons.
But here’s the thing: Brosmer didn’t flinch.
“My dream has been to play in the NFL for a long time,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “To define myself by one game wouldn’t be fair to the younger me, watching me play football in the NFL.”
That’s a perspective you don’t often hear from a first-year player. It’s the kind of self-awareness that comes from a long, winding journey - one that started in Davenport, Iowa, before his family moved to Toronto and eventually settled in Roswell, Georgia. There, Brosmer played under Michael Perry, a coach who once won a state title with Deshaun Watson and ran a high-tempo offense that demanded a lot from his quarterbacks.
Perry encouraged his QBs to speak up in meetings, to challenge ideas, to think like coaches. Brosmer carried that mindset with him to New Hampshire, then to Minnesota, and now to the Vikings.
It’s part of what made him such a natural fit for Kevin O’Connell’s system - a scheme that’s complex, detail-heavy, and built on communication. Brosmer’s football IQ and willingness to engage in the mental side of the game have already stood out in the quarterback room.
The only real question now? Can he be productive at this level.
Under the previous regime, the Vikings leaned on Sean Mannion as Kirk Cousins’ backup - a steady presence who knew the system but, as we saw, couldn’t be relied on to win games. When Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell took over, they pivoted to Nick Mullens, a more experienced backup with a gunslinger’s mentality. Mullens could move the offense, but he also had a tendency to take unnecessary risks.
Brosmer, in contrast, is still finding his rhythm. That first start in Seattle was rough, but context matters.
He was facing one of the league’s toughest defenses in one of the loudest stadiums in football. And he admitted afterward that the game felt like it was moving too fast.
“I told myself, ‘Just be slow,’” Brosmer said of his mindset heading into the Giants game. “That’s what fixes being ahead of things, and I felt like the outcome was a little bit better.”
That’s not just a quarterback learning on the fly - that’s a quarterback adjusting, processing, and growing. And on Sunday, the results spoke for themselves. Brosmer helped guide the Vikings to a 16-13 win, showing poise and command that belied his experience level.
On Thursday night, Brosmer will get another shot - this time against the Lions, in prime time, with the NFC North race still hanging in the balance. It’s the kind of moment quarterbacks dream about. And for Max Brosmer, it’s a dream that’s come to life faster than anyone could’ve predicted.
He might still be learning. He might still make mistakes.
But if his journey so far is any indication, don’t count him out. He’s already proven he belongs - now he gets to show just how far he can go.