The Minnesota Vikings have made yet another quarterback change.
Nick Mullens will replace Joshua Dobbs as the Vikings’ starting quarterback against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell. Mullens, who started the season as Minnesota’s No. 2 quarterback, will be the fourth starter in a seven-game run for the Vikings, who are in a postseason battle.
When starter Kirk Cousins broke his right Achilles tendon in Week 8, the journeyman quarterback was on injured reserve with a back injury, forcing youngster Jaren Hall to start the next game. A concussion took Hall off the field quickly, but newly acquired Dobbs got four starts over the next month. Mullens was activated in Week 11 and replaced Dobbs in last week’s 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He finished 9-of-13 throwing for 83 yards after entering the game in the fourth quarter and guided Minnesota on its only scoring drive of the game.
“We’ve made the decision to start Nick Mullens this week,” said O’Connell. “Thought he came into last Sunday’s game and really demonstrated his ability to prepare and be ready to go in and play in rhythm.” Was precise with the ball and made excellent decisions.”
The Vikings are 7-6 heading into Saturday’s game versus the Bengals (also 7-6), which will be televised on NFL Network at 1 p.m. ET. Minnesota is currently the second NFC Wild Card team.
Here are five facts about another Vikings starting quarterback before kickoff.
Mullens’ NFL Starting Experience and Statistics
Mullens’ surroundings have changed dramatically during the last few years.
The undrafted free agent signed as a rookie with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and will remain in the Bay Area through the 2020 season. Since then, the 28-year-old has had brief spells with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and Las Vegas Raiders before being dealt to the Vikings in 2022.
Mullens will make his first start in a Minnesota uniform on Saturday. And he’s hoping to improve on his brief appearance on the field last weekend by scoring a couple more points this time around.
“You never know when your name is going to be called, but you prepare and work as hard as you can, trusting that there’s a plan out there for you,” Mullens said after defeating the Raiders. “I stepped in and did that.” The guys did an outstanding job….A win is a win, regardless of how it appears.”
Mullens has started 17 games in the NFL, going 5-12. All except one of those starts occurred with the 49ers, where he started eight games in both 2018 and 2020. Most notably, Mullens joined Hall of Famers Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to have 250+ passing yards, 3+ passing touchdowns, and no interceptions in their NFL debut since 1950.
Mullens has played in 25 NFL games, completing 65.4% of his passes for 5,168 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions.
Former Iowa Tight Ends You Should Know
During the 2018 season in San Francisco, Mullens assisted George Kittle in breaking the record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season. And, fortunately for the quarterback, another former Hawkeye from what some refer to as “Tight End U” will be a top target for him in Minnesota.
T.J. Hockenson leads the Vikings in receptions (85), receiving yards (839), and touchdown catches (5) this season. The two-time Pro Bowler has faith in his new quarterback.
“He’s been in this league for a long time and has done a lot of things in this league,” Hockenson said earlier this week. “…Getting some confidence, getting some momentum rolling through the last couple of drives to be able to go down and score at least three points and end the game, so that was big for Nick and big for the team.”
Mullens Signs NFL Contract with the Vikings
Mullens is in the first year of a two-year, $4 million contract with the Vikings, which he signed earlier this year. According to Spotrac, the contract contains a $750,000 signing bonus and $1.92 million guaranteed, with a cap hit of $1.725 million in 2023. The quarterback receives an additional $7,500 for each game in which he participates.
Coming from a Baseball Family
Minnesota’s newest starting quarterback has created a reputation for himself on the football field, despite coming from a baseball-loving family.
According to the Vikings website, Mullens’ grandfather, Ernie Tabor, pitched in the minor-league system of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950s. And his uncle, Scott Tabor, still maintains the Arkansas Razorbacks college record for most career victories on the mound, which he established before going on to a professional baseball career.
Mullens, a former Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year from Hoover, Alabama, hails from a football state. And when he was in high school, he was among the best the area had to offer. After throwing for 3,649 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2012, the former Spain Park prep was awarded Gatorade Alabama Football Player of the Year.
Mullens, a two-star prospect according to 247Sports, played collegiately at Southern Miss. The 6-foot, 210-pound quarterback was a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles, passing for 11,994 yards and 87 touchdowns.
