The Minnesota Vikings are 5-4 and hold the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture. However, tragedy struck when star quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in a victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Their response was trading for Josh Dobbs, who spent the first eight weeks of the season with the Arizona Cardinals. He wasn’t expected to play in Week 9, as he hadn’t practiced with the team a single time. He did, though, and he led the team to a win over the Atlanta Falcons.
In eight games with Arizona and one with Minnesota, Dobbs has passed for 1,569 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions. He’s also ran the ball 54 times for 324 yards and four touchdowns.
The journeyman quarterback has been on five different teams since 2022 and seven since his NFL career began in 2017.
What’s crazier? He’s a rocket scientist, too.
Is Josh Dobbs a Rocket Scientist?
Dobbs was born in Alpharetta, Georgia. He developed alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease causing hair loss when he was transitioning from elementary to junior high school.
MORE: Joshua Dobbs Opens Up on Final Week in Arizona
Following his high school career, he committed to the University of Tennessee, where he played for four seasons from 2013-2016. During his time at Tennessee, he passed for 7,138 yards, 53 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
During his time in college, Dobbs majored in aerospace engineering, maintaining a 4.0 GPA. By 2021, he had interned with NASA twice. Now, while he might not be a licensed rocket scientist, Dobbs can pursue it if he wants.
Congratulations @josh_dobbs1 on yesterday’s big win! Looks like you rock(et) on and off the field. We heard you’ve even got a new nickname, the "Passtronaut." If the suit fits, wear it.🚀 pic.twitter.com/Pah3MuQsWs
— NASA's Glenn Research Center (@NASAglenn) November 6, 2023
It might have been Dobbs’ incredible knowledge that allowed him to memorize enough of the Vikings’ playbook in just 169 hours to lead them to the crucial victory over the Falcons.
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