With J.J. McCarthy still in concussion protocol, everything seems to be pointing to the Minnesota Vikings rolling with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as their starting quarterback for this weekend's Week 13 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
It's been a difficult last few weeks for Vikings fans as the team has lost five of its last six games, so many are hoping that Brosmer can step in and deliver at least a sliver of optimism with his performance on Sunday.
Despite the hope from Minnesota's fans, history isn't exactly on the rookie quarterback's side heading into a difficult contest against the Seahawks.
Minnesota Vikings QB Max Brosmer going up against history and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13
If Brosmer does in fact start under center for the Vikings this weekend, he will be the first undrafted quarterback to start a game for the team since Nick Mullens did back in Week 18 of the 2023 season against the Detroit Lions.
He would also be the first undrafted rookie signal-caller to start a matchup for Minnesota since the pride of St. Cloud St., Todd Bouman, got the nod all the way back in Week 15 of the 2001 season.
Bouman is also the only undrafted quarterback in Vikings history to start for the team as a rookie, but that's something that could change this weekend if Brosmer gets the opportunity.
Getting a win in Seattle is going to be incredibly difficult for Brosmer, and it's not just because the Seahawks are one of the best teams in the league this year, but it's also because it's something that has rarely been accomplished in the history of the league.
Dating back to the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, teams with an undrafted rookie signal-caller making their first-career start on the road against an opponent with a winning record have an all-time record of 1-4.
Kyle Allen, currently of the Detroit Lions, is the only quarterback in NFL history to accomplish this feat. Undrafted out of Houston, Allen pulled this off back in his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers in 2018 when he helped lead them to a Week 17 victory on the road over the New Orleans Saints.
Despite his success, pretty much every other undrafted rookie quarterback has failed in the same scenario. The last guy to attempt it was Tommy DeVito in 2023 when he was a rookie with the New York Giants, and he ended up only throwing for a total of 86 yards in a Week 10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
In the five instances of undrafted rookie quarterbacks making their first career starts on the road against an opponent with a winning record, they've averaged a 49.1 percent completion rate and 207 passing yards while throwing a total of four touchdowns and four interceptions.
These aren't exactly record-setting numbers, and the fact that Seattle currently ranks fourth in the NFL in points allowed per opposing offensive drive, isn't going to make life any easier for Brosmer either this weekend.
This isn't to say that Minnesota's undrafted rookie passer cannot defy the odds on Sunday and deliver a memorable performance that leads to an unexpected win. But it's probably best for Vikings fans to just temper their expectations to avoid having any sort of major letdown this weekend in case Brosmer ends up performing like he's, well, an undrafted rookie making his first-ever NFL start.