EAGAN, Minn. — The quarterback carousel continues. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell named Nick Mullens the starter for Saturday's game against Cincinnati, making him the fourth quarterback to start a game for the team this season.
Mullens, a veteran out of Southern Miss, came in midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday and led the Vikings to a 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Mullens went 9-for-13 for 83 yards and engineered a 13-play drive to set up kicker Greg Joseph's 36-yard game-winning field goal with under two minutes to play.
Mullens began the season as the team's backup to Kirk Cousins but found himself on injured reserve with a back injury in Week 5. During his stint on the IR, Cousins tore his Achilles at Green Bay, leaving the Vikings with limited options under center.
Rookie Jaren Hall made the start for Minnesota in Week 9 against Atlanta but was knocked out of the game in the second series with a concussion. The Vikings then turned to Joshua Dobbs, who was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals just days prior.
Dobbs took the league by storm, helping lead Minnesota to consecutive wins, but the "Passtronaut" has come back down to Earth as of late, resulting in O'Connell benching him in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game.
The Vikings traded for Mullens just before the 2022 regular season. He appeared in four games last season, completing 21 of 25 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Mullens, who is in his seventh year in the NFL, has spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Raiders.
In 2020, Mullens started eight games with the 49ers after starting quarterback Jimmy Garappolo was injured. Mullens went 211 of 326 for 2,437 yards 12 TDs and 12 INTs. His season was eventually cut short by an elbow injury in late December.
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