2025 NFL Preseason: Could Max Brosmer Be the Vikings’ Secret QB Cure?
On Saturday, Minnesota Vikings fans were excited to see what J.J. McCarthy could offer at quarterback. Instead, they ended up being dazzled by another passer.
Quarterback Max Brosmer’s signing hardly made headlines when the Vikings added him as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft. Since the preseason opener against the Texans, however, his name has been in the minds and mouths of many Vikings fans. In this game, Brosmer went 5-8 with 47 passing yards and the only passing TD of the day. That passing TD came just one play after Brosmer had delivered a dart to the endzone while being pressured by an unblocked rusher that was ruled incomplete.
So, who is this gritty gunslinger who has fans buzzing? Could he solve the Vikings’ QB conundrum?
Brosmer isn’t a nobody.
Max Brosmer may not be a big name in the NFL, but he was no slouch in his college football career.
In five seasons as quarterback at the FCS school New Hampshire, Brosmer was a star. He had over 8,700 yards, 70 passing touchdowns, and 10 rushing touchdowns in 36 career games. In his final season with New Hampshire, he torched opponents, leading the FCS with 3,464 passing yards, 313.55 passing yards per game, and 325.0 total yards per game. He was also second in passing touchdowns with 29.
His stat stuffing didn’t stop there, though. Brosmer was able to transfer to the University of Minnesota for a sixth season in college. He was highly valuable there, finishing with over 2,800 passing yards and 18 passing TDs, all while logging a 66.5% completion percentage. The Golden Gophers weren’t elite, but Brosmer was a big reason they finished with a surprising eight wins.
But can Brosmer perform in the NFL?
The short answer: I think so.
All his stats tell us that Brosmer's a proven producer. He was the definition of dominance at New Hampshire. He proved that he can transition between competitive levels seamlessly in his move from FCS to FBS football, placing himself in the Golden Gopher record books in just one season. And with six full seasons of college football, Brosmer has seen a lot of action on the gridiron. At 24 years old, he has highly valuable experience. Last year’s rookies, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix, shone in no small part because of their extensive college football experience. Brosmer could benefit from that extended time in the same way.
Right now, Brosmer’s probably more worried about fighting for a roster spot. But his recent performance showed that he could be a dark horse to take over the backup QB position that Vikings fans have been concerned about. If McCarthy goes down or isn’t playing well, the Vikings need someone reliable. Sam Howell doesn’t have everyone sold on his role as backup signal-caller to J.J. McCarthy. There have been whispers since training camp about the Vikings needing something better at QB2. Current QB3 Brett Rypien didn’t show anything special against the Texans.
Brosmer has a great chance to work his way up the depth chart and become the QB2 the Vikings need. In my preseason postgame report, I noted that he was one of the most underrated performers of the game. Alec Lewis of The Athletic had reported that Brosmer’s spring was “intriguing”. He predicted that Brosmer’s “professional approach and ability to process should keep him in the league for a while.” Why not keep him in the league in Minnesota? He just might continue to surprise.