Who is Max Brosmer? Meet Vikings QB replacing J.J. McCarthy in Week 17 vs. Lions

The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will meet for an NFC North matchup on Christmas Day in Week 17, and J.J. McCarthy will not be the starting quarterback for Minnesota.

McCarthy suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand during the second quarter of Minnesota's Week 16 victory over the New York Giants. Max Brosmer finished the game, and Brosmer will once again get the start in Week 17 versus Detroit.

Brosmer will look to lead the Vikings to their eighth victory of the season on Thursday, but first, let's get to know the Vikings quarterback replacing McCarthy.

Who is Max Brosmer?

Brosmer played college football at New Hampshire and Minnesota. He spent his first four seasons at New Hampshire, tossing 68 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for the Wildcats before transferring to Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season.

In his lone season with the Gophers, Brosmer threw for 2,828 yards and 18 touchdowns, along with six interceptions. He led Minnesota to an 8-5 record and a bowl win over Virginia Tech.

Brosmer entered the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He showed flashes in the preseason, which led to him sneaking on Minnesota's 53-man roster.

The 24-year-old made his first NFL appearance in the Vikings' Week 3 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, completing two of four passes for 29 yards.

After making a few more appearances throughout the year, Brosmer started in his first NFL game in Week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks. It didn't go well, as Brosmer tossed four interceptions in a shutout loss.

Despite a rough outing in his first start, Brosmer bounced back in his next appearance in Week 16, filling for the injured McCarthy and leading the Vikings to victory. Brosmer completed seven of nine passes for 52 yards last week.

Now in Week 17, Brosmer will receive his second start and look to spoil the Lions' season on Christmas.