All of the work paid off for rookie quarterback Max Brosmer last week when he learned he had earned himself a spot on the active roster following a successful training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.
He gave himself permission to take a step back and enjoy the moment, hopping on a group FaceTime with his mom, dad, brother, girlfriend and his dogs to celebrate.
After a few minutes, he hung up and got back to the grind.
“It was pretty surreal when I found out, and then it was like, ‘Snap out of it,’ ” Brosmer said. “You’ve got to earn it every single day.”
As excited as he was to make the team as an undrafted free agent, Brosmer had to remind himself this is not the ultimate goal. He wants to have staying power. The only way to accomplish that is to continue to work.
“Our team does such a good job holding each other accountable,” he said. “There’s not a ton of time to be like, ‘I made it.’ ”
That shouldn’t be an issue for Brosmer. It’s not in his nature to be content.
He has had to scratch and claw to get to where he is now, committing to New Hampshire as a lightly recruited prospect, then transferring to Minnesota as a long shot to make it to the next level.
As he has navigated every step of his journey, Brosmer’s superpower has long been his ability to think the game better than his peers. “That’s kind of always how I’ve been,'” he said. “It’s because, honestly, I haven’t been as physically gifted as some people in this profession.”
His mind helped Brosmer stand out after signing with the Vikings. He quickly picked up the playbook in the spring and confidently applied it in the summer.
Though he didn’t get a ton of reps in training camp, Brosmer made the most of his opportunity in the exhibition games, proving he belonged with impressive showings against the Houston Texans, New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.
“It wasn’t always real clean around him,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “He found a way to move the team.”
Not once did Brosmer doubt he’d be able to do that.
“Whether I was going to come from New Hampshire or come from Minnesota to make it to the NFL, I’m confident in my ability to be able to play,” Brosmer said. “I’m grateful to have people that believe in me as much as I believe in myself.”
That includes everybody he came in contact with during his time with the Gophers, including head coach P.J. Fleck, who heaped praise last week when asked about everything Brosmer brought to the program.
“That kid leaves his imprint and his legacy everywhere he goes,” Fleck said. “It’s going to keep happening in his life.”
As he reflected on the process to get to this point, Brosmer tried to envision what it will be like next week when the Vikings take on the Chicago Bears on Monday night at Soldier Field.
Much like he did when he learned he made the team, Brosmer plans to give himself permission to take a step back and enjoy the moment.
“It’s such a cool feeling,” he said. “It’s a dream I’ve been dreaming since I was a kid.”
There’s no doubt that after taking a few seconds to appreciate everything he has accomplished so far, however, Brosmer will lock back in and move forward with the full understanding that there’s more work to be done.
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