Gophers coach P.J. Fleck had one final comment at the end of an 18-minute news conference on Saturday.
“Congratulations to Max Brosmer, getting his first start, pretty awesome feat for Minnesota Golden Gophers,” Fleck said after a 17-7 win over Wisconsin at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Brosmer’s first NFL start for the Vikings in Seattle on Sunday has had the Gophers buzzing inside the Larson Football Performance Center all week. For the U program, Brosmer is about as rare as a four-leaf clover.
Brosmer’s rise from five years at FCS-level New Hampshire to above-average Big Ten signal caller in 2024, then un-drafted in the NFL last April to now starting as a rookie in Week 13.
Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh said if Brosmer heard about that story arc two years ago, “He would have looked at you like you were crazy.”
Fleck said messaged Brosmer after starter JJ McCarthy was placed in concussion protocol on Monday, telling Brosmer to be himself, while Harbaugh reached out to Brosmer’s parents.
“It’s an exciting time for them; it’s an exciting time for Gopher football,” Harbaugh said. “He was starting for us and now he’s going to get an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Brosmer is the believed to be the first quarterback to go from the Gophers to an NFL start — without transferring to another college in between — since Mike Hohensee in 1987.
But Hohensee’s two games with the Bears have an asterisk because the NFL was using replacement players during a strike that season. Plus, Hohensee, who played for Minnesota in 1981-82, had stints in the USFL and CFL before his cup of coffee in the NFL.
The most recent example of a former Gopher QB starting in the NFL is Chris Streveler with the Jets in 2022. But Streveler, who played for Minnesota in 2014-15, had transferred and developed at South Dakota in the final two years of his college career. He also went to the CFL before chances with three other NFL teams.
Spergon Wynn was similar to Streveler. While he played very briefly for the Gophers in 1996, he transferred to Southwest Texas State (now Texas State) before starting for Cleveland in 2000. He then went to the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe before two starts for the Vikings in 2001.
The last Gopher QB to be drafted in the NFL was Craig Curry by the Dolphins in 1972, but he never made a start.
Former Gopher great QBs Sandy Stephens and Ricky Foggie didn’t play games in the NFL. Same goes for Tanner Morgan and Adam Weber. Cory Sauter got one game, but it was off the bench for the Bears in 2002.
Tony Dungy had a great career in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the Steelers, but he did so as a defensive back. MarQueis Gray played five yers in the NFL, but he did so as a tight end.
Related Articles
Gophers add quarterback and athlete to 2026 class after Axe win
Gophers tighten grip on Paul Bunyan’s Axe with 17-7 win over Wisconsin
After win over Badgers, where might Gophers go bowling?
Two defensive starters to return to Gophers versus Badgers
Gophers add big Pennsylvania running back Niko Castillo to 2026 class
Leave a Reply