There haven’t been many teams in the NFL this season that have gone through the type of quarterback carousel that the Minnesota Vikings have experienced.
Franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins was lost for the season due to a torn Achilles. Fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall suffered a concussion in his first start replacing Cousins, leading to Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs starting games in the last month.
As the Vikings prepare for their “do-or-die” game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, they’ll turn back to their highly regarded rookie to save their season much like he did for his college program just a few years ago.
A Look Back at Jaren Hall’s College Career
Before entering college, Hall attended Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. During his high school career, he had 5,109 passing yards and 52 touchdowns.
Hall committed to Brigham Young University (BYU) to play college football as a three-star recruit. He was the first-ever black quarterback to start for BYU during his college career.
Originally a backup to future second-overall pick Zach Wilson, Hall jumped into the starting spotlight in 2021 and combined to have 2,800 yards of total offense with 23 total touchdowns.
The Cougars finished 10-3 and were ranked as high as 10th in the nation during the season. Hall did not play in the Independence Bowl that year due to a foot injury but went 8-2 as a starter.
Hall’s final season with the Cougars saw him complete 66% of his passes (a three-percentage point difference from the previous year) while throwing for 3,171 yards and 31 touchdowns. An ankle injury kept him out of the New Mexico Bowl that year as well.
In total, Hall went 16-8 as BYU’s starting QB during his college career while commanding total respect from his teammates and program.
“When things are not going our way, and it seems like the game is a little out of reach, I look at Jaren [Hall], and he’s calm,” BYU teammate Lopini Katoa explained on Hall. “He’s cool, calm, and collected and has all the confidence that we’re going to win the game when our backs are against the wall.”
Hall’s NFL Story
Hall was drafted by the Vikings in the fifth round (164th overall). As any late-round rookie QB, Hall was expected to sit for the entire season and learn from a Pro Bowl quarterback like Cousins.
Those plans were scrapped when Cousins was lost for the year in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 24-10 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field due to a torn Achilles.
MORE: NFL Playoff Bracket 2023
Minnesota turned to Hall as their starting QB the very next week against Atlanta. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to.
Hall started a crisp 5 of 6 passing for 78 yards before suffering a concussion in the first quarter. Dobbs replaced Hall against the Falcons and helped the Vikings win the game — keeping Hall on the bench for the next few weeks.
As Minnesota tries to stay alive in the NFC playoff race, the coaching staff is turning back to Hall.
“Going back and looking at some of the things he did in his short time out there against Atlanta, it was unfortunate when he got dinged up,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said of Hall.
“And now that he’s healthy, he’s had a few great weeks of preparation. Look forward to seeing what Jaren can do.”
As Hall prepares for the second NFL start of his career in Week 17, he’ll get a chance to not only show he belongs as a potential starting quarterback but also send Minnesota to the playoffs for the second straight year.
“There’s a process for everybody,” Hall explained. “You just have to take every opportunity you are given…You’re always preparing because you never know when this is going to happen.”
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!