The Minnesota Vikings enter Week 13 carrying a question that has hovered over the franchise since spring and now sits at the center of their season. Why did they ever let Sam Darnold go? The answer feels more complicated by the week, and the consequences seem much clearer for the Vikings.
Darnold returns to Minnesota as Seattle's starting quarterback. It is a matchup wrapped in the feel of a revenge game, even if he will not say it out loud. He helped guide Minnesota to fourteen regular-season wins in 2024, a run that convinced many inside the building that he was worth keeping. The organization chose a different path. It invested heavily in the roster, spent more than any NFC team, and bet its future on rookie J.J. McCarthy.
The returns have not matched the ambition. McCarthy has struggled through injuries and inconsistency. His completion percentage ranks last among qualified starters. His active streak of six straight games with an interception has pushed the Vikings' offense toward the bottom of the league. The team is four and seven and now staring down another week without him as he remains in concussion protocol.
Who will the Vikings have available at quarterback?
That leaves Max Brosmer, an undrafted rookie, to face a Seattle defense prepared to pressure him from the start. He is steady and efficient in limited action, but he has never been asked to carry an NFL offense. The Vikings will likely lean on a conservative plan that limits mistakes and asks Kevin O Connell to steady a season wobbling off course.
Across the sideline stands Darnold, playing some of the most confident football of his career. He faces a Minnesota defense ranked near the bottom in passer rating allowed but near the top in pressure percentage. It is a challenging matchup and one shaped by the familiar faces across the way.
Sunday’s meeting is bigger than a single game. It is a reminder of the gamble Minnesota made and the veteran they watched walk out the door. As the Vikings prepare for a week without their young quarterback, the question that has lingered all season has never felt louder.
