Getting To Know The Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks

by The Feed

The Minnesota Vikings head to Minnesota State University-Mankato for the start of training camp next week. That's not too shocking, all the NFL teams have training camps, but few teams have ever had quite so epic a quarterback competition as the Vikings will hold. Tarvaris Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, Tyler Thigpen and Drew Henson will do battle for the right to hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor and the chance to disprove anyone who thinks the Vikings should have picked Brady Quinn instead of Peterson in this April's draft. Let's get to know this quartet of signal callers, shall we?

Tarvaris Jackson

• Tarvaris is not one of the top 1000 names in the United States. If you google "Tarvaris," you'll only find articles about the Vikings QB.
• Played in four games, starting two, last season and finished with a QB rating of 62.5. The Vikes lost both games he started.
• Has an unusual nickname for an African-American, "Stonewall". Stonewall Jackson was a Confederate general in the Civil War, not usually the go-to place for a nickname although the next time there's a player named Beauregard at least the precedent's been set.
• Played at Arkansas until an injury cost him his job and led him to transfer to Division I-AA Alabama State. The player who beat him out at Arkansas, Matt Jones, now plays wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Was the first D I-AA QB drafted since Spergon Wynn, who played for the Vikings and was taken before Tom Brady in the NFL Draft.

Brooks Bollinger

• Played two games for the Vikings last season but got passed over for Jackson when Brad Johnson was injured toward the end of the season.
• Started nine games for the Jets in 2005 and went 2-7. His two wins were against teams that had a 9-23 combined record.
• Contrary to popular belief, he was not named after a law firm in his native Grand Forks, North Dakota.
• Started and won the 2000 Rose Bowl for Wisconsin and won two more bowls for the Badgers.

Tyler Thigpen

• Seventh round pick out of Division I-AA Coastal Carolina in April's draft. The Vikings enjoy the work of college football's second tier.
• His middle name is Beckham, presumably not after David Beckham since he has neither bleached blond hair nor a faux-hawk.
• The jury is still out on whether or not the Vikings picked him so Bollinger wouldn't have the most feminine name among the quarterback crop.
• Played in Brooks Stadium during his college days but the name of the Stadium has nothing to do with his competition for the quarterback spot.

Drew Henson

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• Was a member of the Vikings practice squad on two non-consecutive occasions last season and last played in a NFL game with the Cowboys in 2004.
• Has played in more Major League Baseball games (8) than National Football League Games (7).
• Was a third round pick of the Yankees and the Cowboys traded a third-round pick for his rights making him a bust for the two sports organizations people love to hate above all others.