5 Key Facts About New Vikings QB Brett Rypien

Vikings Make a Change in Quarterback Room

The Vikings have made a move in their quarterback lineup.

Minnesota has signed quarterback Brett Rypien, the team announced on Wednesday, and has waived 2023 draft pick Jaren Hall.

Brett Rypien joins the Vikings after being released by the Bears on Tuesday. He will be joining Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens in the quarterback room, stepping in after first-round pick J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury during his preseason debut.

At 28 years old, Rypien signed with Chicago in March and spent the 2024 offseason with the NFC North rival. He impressed during the Hall of Fame Game on August 1, throwing three touchdown passes and leading the Bears to a 21-17 victory over the Texans. Despite bad weather cutting the game short, he completed 11 of 15 passes for 166 yards.

Brett Rypien originally signed with Denver as an undrafted rookie in 2019 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the Broncos. He played against the Vikings almost exactly two years ago in a preseason game in Denver, finishing 14 of 21 for 137 yards and an interception.

While with Denver, Brett Rypien overlapped with current Vikings offensive coaches, including running game coordinator/running backs coach Curtis Modkins and offensive line coach Chris Kuper.

In 2023, Rypien was on the Rams’ active roster from September 13 to November 7 before being waived. He then spent time on the Seahawks and Jets practice squads.

In 10 NFL games (with four starts), Rypien has completed 98 of 168 passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

5 Key Facts About New Vikings QB Brett Rypien

1. Nephew of Super Bowl MVP

Rypien’s uncle, Mark Rypien, was named Super Bowl XXVI MVP after leading Washington to a 37-24 victory over Buffalo on January 26, 1992. That Super Bowl was held at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Mark Rypien had a 14-season NFL career, winning two Super Bowls (including Super Bowl XXII against the Broncos), earning two Second-Team All-Pro honors, and receiving two Pro Bowl selections (1989 and 1991).

2. Former Boise State Star

Brett Rypien played college football at Boise State, where he became the Mountain West’s all-time leader in passing yards (13,581), completions (1,036), and 300-yard passing games (21). He surpassed Kellen Moore, who had 16 such games from 2008-11.

He was named the 2018 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and was the Mountain West Championship Offensive MVP in 2017 after throwing for 256 yards (with a long of 59) in a win over Fresno State. He then had a standout performance in the Las Vegas Bowl, throwing for 362 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon.

3. Hails from Washington

Brett Rypien grew up in Spokane, Washington, where he attended Shadle Park High School and played both baseball and football.

He was the quarterback for Shadle Park’s varsity football team all four years, setting Washington state records for career passing yards (13,044) and completions (1,006), as well as single-season records for passing yards (4,552) and touchdowns (50). He surpassed Kellen Moore in all four categories.

Brett Rypien graduated early and earned valedictorian honors.

Fun fact: Rypien shares his alma mater with Terry Davis, an award-winning American novelist and professor emeritus of English at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

4. Athletic Family Background

Brett and Mark Rypien are not the only athletes in their family.

Another of Brett’s uncles, Wes, was a Canadian boxing champion. His older cousin, Wes Jr., played professionally in the Western Hockey League, and his younger cousin Rick played six NHL seasons with the Vancouver Canucks before tragically passing away in 2011.

Cousin Shane Churla played 11 NHL seasons and later worked as a scout for the Montreal Canadiens.

Brett’s father, Tim, was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft and played three minor league seasons.

5. Mental Health Advocate

Rypien’s cousin Rick passed away after a battle with clinical depression, which profoundly affected Rypien. At 15, Rypien lost Rick, who was just 27 years old.

Brett Rypien has become a mental health advocate, emphasizing that “at some point or another, everyone goes through their own struggle with mental health.” In 2020, he represented Mental Health America for the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign, wearing cleats with “Break the Stigma” on one side and Rick’s jersey No. 37 on the other.

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