Kevin O’Connell Officially Names Josh Dobbs as Vikings Starting QB

When Minnesotans got their days started on Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Vikings had yet to officially name a starting quarterback for their week 14 game vs the Las Vegas Raiders, though tight end TJ Hockenson accidentally let the cat out of the bag on Tuesday evening.

Kevin O’Connell names Josh Dobbs as Vikings QB1

But on Wednesday, just before noon at his weekly press conference, Kevin O’Connell made it official. The Vikings are sticking with Josh Dobbs as their QB1 on Sunday.

Kevin O'Connell officially names Josh Dobbs as #Vikings starting QB in week 14. pic.twitter.com/A4I4XhX5xK

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 6, 2023

Dobbs ups and downs as Vikings quarterback

Since joining the Vikings, Josh Dobbs has been a wildcard on the field. He blew onto the scene with a couple of stunning performances that captured the imagination of football fans, not just locally, but across the nation.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Playoff Odds – Week 14

His first two times wearing a purple and gold uniform, Dobbs launched himself into a stratosphere of national hype rarely touched by Minnesota sports figures, thanks to a miracle relief appearance in Atlanta and paired that with another mind-blowing showing the next week in a win vs the Saints.

Josh’s overall numbers, after those first two weeks in purple, were MVP-worthy if stretched over an entire season.

After those first two games, Joshua Dobbs was the hot topic of every major sports network on TV, radio and internet. Fans started wearing “Passtronaut” costumes to games, he was being showered with weekly awards and even took Taylor Swift’s spot as the NFL’s banner photo on Twitter for a little while.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Defense Rankings 2023 – Week 14

But the last two weeks, Josh’s Cinderella carriage of NFL fame has turned into a pumpkin of uncertainty. He went from a 3/0 TD/INT ratio in weeks 9 and 10 to a 2/5 ratio in weeks 11 and 12. His passing yards and attempts are comparable. Everything else, including his rushing production, fell off a cliff.

Obviously, Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings are hoping the bye week, along with another two weeks of getting to know his teammates and the offensive system, will make Josh Dobbs the best quarterback options the team has available.