Vikings rookie QB Kellen Mond makes an unexpected NFL debut in relief of Sean Mannion

Kellen Mond completed two of three passes, but nearly threw an interception in his short relief stint.

January 3, 2022 at 6:03AM
Vikings rookie quarterback Kellen Mond made his NFL debut Sunday night in the fourth quarter. He was hit hard by Packers linebacker Rashan Gary. (Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

GREEN BAY, WIS. – Rookie quarterback Kellen Mond's NFL debut was not by design at the end of the Vikings' 37-10 loss to the Packers on Sunday night.

Mond spelled quarterback Sean Mannion — who started for Kirk Cousins after he had a positive COVID-19 test — for a three-play series that saw Mond nearly throw an interception on third down.

The third-round rookie was only playing because Mannion had cramping in his hands.

"Which is unusual," said Mannion, who returned and finished the game. "I've never had an issue with cramps. I try to drink more than a gallon of water every day, so it's kind of bizarre. Thankfully, I think I only missed the one series, but it was a fluky cramping situation."

Mond completed two of three passes for 5 yards, his first NFL throws because Mannion suddenly had trouble gripping the ball in the 11-degree weather. Mannion finished completing 22 of 36 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.

"If it was anywhere else," Mannion said, "I could've probably figured out a way to manage it. But I was chugging all the stuff — pickle juice — everything they're giving me on the sideline, desperately. I want to stay in the game for every snap."

Mond's third and final pass was nearly picked by Packers linebacker Krys Barnes. Don't expect to see Mond again this season, should coach Mike Zimmer have his way. Zimmer was asked whether he'd want to evaluate Mond in the regular-season finale against the Bears with the Vikings (7-9) eliminated from playoff contention.

"Not particularly," Zimmer said.

Why not?

"I see him every day," Zimmer said.

Special teams uneven

Receiver Dan Chisena avoided disaster when officials picked up a flag for interfering with the Packers punt returner in the first quarter, ruling Chisena was pushed into the returner. But the Vikings' coverage team wasn't so lucky in the third quarter, when Packers receiver David Moore found a seam on a 22-yard return.

Cornerback Tye Smith, elevated from the practice squad, cost them another 15 yards with a low tackle on the sideline flagged for unnecessary roughness. Moore's 22-yard punt return is Green Bay's longest of the season.

But kicker Greg Joseph drilled an impressive 51-yard field goal in frigid temperatures, marking his seventh conversion from at least 50 yards away this season. Joseph has the most 50-yard field goals by a Vikings kicker since Blair Walsh's 10 in 2012. Joseph, a restricted free agent this spring, has made 32 of 37 field goals [86.5%].

Bradbury flashes wheels

Center Garrett Bradbury had the Vikings' second-longest catch of the night when he scooped up a pass jarred out of the hands of tight end Tyler Conklin. Bradbury ran for most of the 21-yard gain, marking the longest catch by an offensive lineman in franchise history. It's the longest by an NFL lineman since the Falcons' Ty Sambrailo had a 35-yard catch during the 2019 season.

"It's nice to be on the receiving end of some fluky, good-luck plays like that," Mannion said.

On the next play, Mannion threw his first NFL touchdown pass with a 14-yard toss to receiver K.J. Osborn.

Etc.

  • Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson's NFL rookie yardage record lasted one season. With 266 receiving yards against the Chiefs, Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1,429) surpassed Jefferson's 1,400 yards from 2020.
  • Running back Dalvin Cook finished with 13 yards from scrimmage, his second fewest in 55 games for the Vikings. Cook had 10 yards in a 2018 loss at Chicago.
  • Sunday night's 11-degree kickoff marked the Vikings' coldest game since their last December trip to Lambeau Field, a 10-degree kickoff in 2017.
  • Rodgers passed Brett Favre with his 55th career touchdown pass against the Vikings, the most against Minnesota by a single player in NFL history.
  • Officials paused play in the first quarter when umpire Fred Bryan entered the medical tent on the Packers sideline. He did not return to the game.
  • Tight end Chris Herndon left in the first quarter with a neck injury and did not return.

about the writer

Andrew Krammer

Reporter

Andrew Krammer covers the Vikings for the Star Tribune, entering his sixth NFL season. From the Metrodome to U.S. Bank Stadium, he's reported on everything from Case Keenum's Minneapolis Miracle, the offensive line's kangaroo court to Adrian Peterson's suspension.

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