Getty Nick Mullens of the Minnesota Vikings.
When Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens trots out onto the field for the first play of Week 15, it will be his first start for the team.
He will become the fourth player to start at the position for them this season.
He will also be one of 56 different passers to open a game in the NFL this season, per Stathead, and 57 if Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is out this week.
There are only 32 teams.
It doesn’t stop there, though, as the former undrafted free agent — who was brought in to be Kirk Cousins’ backup ahead of last season — could etch his name in the record books.
“According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Vikings will be the 29th NFL team since 1950 to endure that frequency of turnover at the position,” wrote Kevin Seifert of ESPN on December 14. “Only four of the previous 28 teams have made the playoffs, and all of them … have gotten their original starter back for at least a portion of the remainder of the season.
“Even in the messy interim, none of them got wins from all four of their starters in that seven-game stretch (except for during the 1987 strike season).”
Mullens could help the Vikings be the first in NFL history to do it.
Cousins is out for the season, so it is up to Mullens to get the Vikings to the promised land. A win over the Cincinnati Bengals – who also lost their quarterback, Joe Burrow, for the season – would boost the Vikings’ odds of making the postseason tremendously.
Per Seifert, ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Vikings a 78.5% chance to make the playoffs if they win. Minnesota currently has a 63.1% chance of making the playoffs.
Their odds drop to 51.5% in a loss, which is still solid. But a significant difference nonetheless.
Vikings Coaches Believe in Nick Mullens
GettyNick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.
Mullens certainly has the support of the coaching staff. Head coach Kevin O’Connell quickly decided to make the change at quarterback. He did so one day after seemingly suggesting they could wait to make the call until later in the week.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips also highlighted Mullens’ strengths and familiarity with the offense and personnel compared to Josh Dobbs who was 2-2 in his previous four starts.
“Nick knows this offense well. He’s been with us for a while,” Phillips said via the team on December 13. “As good of a job and as appreciative as I am of Josh, Nick probably is more comfortable in our system just from being here longer getting the reps throughout an offseason and throughout training camp. So I think you’ll see an efficient group.”
Mullens completed 69.3% of his passes for 83 yards in Week 14 versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hall-of-Fame quarterback Kurt Warner said he “feels” for Dobbs, pointing to dropped passes among the issues the Vikings’ passer faced before his benching.
“So important to watch each play & not just see the results,” Warner posted on X on December 12. “I feel he played well, dropped passes all over, some things didn’t work & of coursed [sic] missed some, but far from a “benching” performance IMO!”
NFL Insider Predicts Short Tenure for Nick Mullins
GettyJaren Hall #16 of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Josh Dobbs, it’s over. Nick Mullens, maybe it’s starting. But I don’t think it’s going to last very long, either,” NBC Sports’ Mike Florio said on ‘PFT Live with Mike Florio‘ on December 11. “I think Jaren Hall is gonna be in there eventually.”
Hall replaced Cousins when the latter suffered a torn Achilles in Week 8. But that was largely due to Mullens already being sidelined with a back injury. With all of the adjustments they have had to make this season, Mullens under center is relatively normal.