Vikings Get a Hard Look at Reality in Seattle

The Minnesota Vikings have a quarterback mess to clean up before facing former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold with the Seattle Seahawks.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings throws a pass on the sideline against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings will get a clear picture of what could have been for 2025 on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Minnesota let quarterback Sam Darnold walk in free agency for a $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks (8–3), and he has put together a mostly MVP-caliber season, minus a dud against the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings (4–7), meanwhile, have been mired in a quarterback carousel. Its latest turn came with J.J. McCarthy in concussion protocol after more lackluster play, and a third quarterback, rookie Max Brosmer, looks poised to start on Sunday.

McCarthy disclosed concussion symptoms after a 23–6 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. The second-year quarterback and 2025 first-round has remained in concussion protocol as speculation swirls if it’s a soft benching and if McCarthy’s time is up in Minnesota.

“It’s a medical thing, first and foremost, and then I do think then at that point, once we see where we’re at in the week and what it’s looked like preparation-wise, then we can make a football decision,” Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Monday.

McCarthy has completed 54.1 percent of his passes for 929 yards for six touchdowns versus 10 interceptions in six game appearances this year—production far below the expectations for a high first-round pick. McCarthy has been playing catch-up, however, since he missed last year due to meniscus tear surgery, which allowed Darnold to shine in a 14–3 season.

It also didn’t help that McCarthy endured an ankle injury in the second week of the season when he led the Vikings to a pair of field goals against the Atlanta Falcons. Backup quarterback Carson Wentz took over for McCarthy after the 22–6 home opener defeat and played well before the hits piled up and ended Wentz’s season with a shoulder injury.

“It’s definitely not ideal, and really there’s—that phrase can be applied to several stops on the journey so far early on for him, and it’s unfortunate because all you wanna do is go back to work,” O’Connell said.

It looks like it will be Brosmer’s turn to get to work on the field in Seattle. The former Minnesota Golden Gophers standout joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent and has impressed.

“All he’s done since he’s been here is show up every single day and respond and answer the bell, whether it’s stepping in for some reps when guys were dinged up previously this year with the first group, or if you look at it from a standpoint of what his absorption of the offense was and throughout his first day here all the way through training camp,” O’Connell said. “Playing in some of those games, playing against the [Tennessee] Titans’ first-team unit in that preseason game defensively and moving the team and getting the ball out and seeing things at a veteran level type of eye progression. I think we all have a lot of confidence in Max.”

It would take a lot of Brosmer to create a quarterback controversy for the Vikings, and he will have to do it against one of the league’s best defenses and in one of the loudest stadiums. That narrative has happened before; Minnesota native and former No. 3 pick Trey Lance lost his starting job to former Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, in 2022 with the San Francisco 49ers.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks offense will pose plenty of problems for the Vikings defense, which is familiar with Darnold. That said, Darnold has been mostly solid, with a 69.5 percent completion rate for 2,785 yards and 19 touchdowns versus 10 interceptions, but four of those came against the Rams in one game.

“He did a lot of great things when he was here, and clearly those things are continuing to show up for him out there in Seattle,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores told reporters on Tuesday. “We had a great rapport, friendship. I’m happy for him, but we’ll blitz him this week.”