Kevin O’Connell Breaks Silence on Vikings’ Choice to Bench Dobbs for Mullens

Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings will start Nick Mullens over Josh Dobbs against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15, thereby joining a small club of NFL teams to start at least four different quarterbacks this season.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell explained his decision, which has serious implications for the team’s playoff chances, during a press conference on Tuesday, December 12.

“There’s a reason we went out and got Nick when we did — to really solidify that position,” O’Connell said. “He allows us to go prepare with a plan and doesn’t need a whole lot of reps to then go in and execute that plan.”

O’Connell went on to offer some second-hand perspective on Dobbs’ behalf, who O’Connell elected to start ahead of Mullens in last weekend’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I think Josh understands the process and where we’ve been at. I think he has respect for the opportunity he had and some of the really good things that he did,” O’Connell said. “But I do believe that Nick Mullens gives us the best chance to win the football game this Saturday, and that’s the decision we made.”

Nick Mullens Best of Bad Options for Struggling Vikings Offense

GettyQuarterback Nick Mullens of the Minnesota Vikings claps during an NFL preseason game against the Tennessee Titans in August 2023.

O’Connell’s decision to go with Mullens is one he had to make after the team produced just 30 points across Dobbs’ last 11-plus quarters as the starter.

But the entrance of Mullens doesn’t inspire tremendous optimism for a quick turnaround given the team could have started him in Las Vegas coming off the bye week and chose instead to go with Dobbs. Entering the game, Dobbs had only 13 days to process a four-interception performance in a 12-10 home loss to the Chicago Bears.

Mullens completed 9-of-13 passes for 83 yards and led the Vikings on a game-winning field goal drive in the fourth quarter, but the offense was still a far cry from the borderline-elite passing attack it has often been with Kirk Cousins under center and a healthy Justin Jefferson on the edge.

Cousins is out for the remainder of the year with an Achilles tear, while Jefferson suffered a chest injury against the Raiders. O’Connell said Monday that Jefferson is day-to-day, and the team listed the wideout as a limited practice participant Tuesday.

Mullens will bring 17 games of NFL starting experience with him to the lineup Saturday. He owns a record of 5-12 across previous stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. Mullens has thrown for 5,168 yards, 27 TDs and 23 INTs over the course of his six-year career, per Pro Football Reference.

Josh Dobbs’ Vikings Era Started Fun, Quickly Grew Tedious

GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs lost his starting job to Nick Mullens ahead of the team’s Week 15 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It appears now that Dobbs’ run with the Vikings is all but over, barring injury.

Dobbs grabbed national headlines by stepping into the huddle on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on November 5 following a concussion suffered by rookie Jaren Hall. Despite extremely limited knowledge of the playbook or any of his teammates, Dobbs led Minnesota to an improbable comeback win. He won again the following week against the New Orleans Saints in his first start for the Vikings.

Minnesota lost its next two games by just 1 and 2 points, respectively. However, the offense was poor and turnover-prone throughout both contests, and the 28-year-old quarterback was directly or indirectly connected to the majority of those struggles.

Dobbs is playing on a one-year, $2 million contract and will hit free agency next March.