Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and center Michael Jurgens (65) warm up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Take a look under the hood and you’ll see some similarities between J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer.
Now, to be sure, there’s quite a gulf between the passers when it comes to expectations. McCarthy is the No. 10 selection from 2024 whereas Brosmer is an undrafted free agent from 2025. Nevertheless, there are some similarities between the pair that make the idea of an ongoing partnership — potentially, a long-term starter and long-term backup — seem possible.
J.J. McCarthy, Max Brosmer, & The Twin Cities Passers
Start off with some basic facts.
Mr. McCarthy is a 22-year-old passer who is listed at 6’3″ and 219 pounds on the team website. Mr. Brosmer is a 24-year-old passer who is coming in at 6’2″ and 217 pounds. Both are coming into the NFL after showing promise within their Big 10 programs. For McCarthy, that meant leading Michigan to a national championship; for Brosmer, that meant proving capable of succeeding at the top level of college football while pushing the Gophers up to an 8-5 record.
Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer (16) celebrates his teams win after the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Consider, as well, some of the statistics.
J.J. McCarthy’s final season arrived in 2024. The kid QB didn’t set the world on fire, but he was rock solid. Most impressive is his sizzling 72.3% completion rate. Kevin O’Connell needs accuracy from his passers, so that’s a stat that jumps off the page. Rounding out the statistics are 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. McCarthy added 3 rushing scores into the mix.
Jump over to Max Brosmer. The 2025 season involved the Minnesota passer putting together a strong 66.5% completion rate. His statistics also included 2,828 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Keep in mind, as well, that Brosmer brought the ball across the goal line 5 times with his legs.
What we have, then, are a pair of Big 10 passers who have a similar build and who offered strong completion percentages to stand alongside solid but not otherworldly passing statistics.
Aug 3, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, MN. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
One also thinks of the way these quarterbacks talk.
Recently, Brosmer met with the Minnesota media. There’s some chatter about friendly trash talk alongside a “screw it” mentality that will serve him well. So, too, is there an emphasis on possessing “empathy” and “gratitude.” One could easily envision McCarthy uttering those same words, uplifting the same ideals.
Of course, there are differences between the two quarterbacks. McCarthy led his team — an elite college program — to the national title. He did so while finishing 10th in Heisman voting. He did so at a younger age than Brosmer while offering a better passer rating, more explosive yards per attempt & catch averages, while also taking better care of the football.
J.J. McCarthy is the better quarterback and is very likely to have the better NFL career.
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The main takeaway, folks, is simply that the Vikings could have reasonably landed a strong backup option for McCarthy in acquiring Brosmer. Both have a brain in their head and have the capacity to be accurate. They possess a similar build, played in the same college conference, and even emphasize similar ideas when chatting with the media.
Seeing the pair lock down the passer position for the next little while won’t be particularly surprising.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.