Josh Dobbs credits Mike Tomlin after comeback win in Vikings debut

New Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs put on the performance of a lifetime on Sunday in Minnesota’s 31-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. For a player who joined the team just days before, having his number called to not only play but also to run the offense, the 158-yard, three-touchdown performance was nothing short of legendary.

Asked about his mindset when he realized rookie quarterback Jaren Hall was not going to be able to continue on in the game, Dobbs credited one of his former head coaches, Steelers skipper Mike Tomlin, with the ability to battle through some unprecedented adversity and come out on top.

“First it was, Jaren [Hall], get up. I hope he is okay,” Dobbs said. “But then it was, hey, if you are playing, you gotta go out there and play. The team still expects you to go out and win and play good football. In this league, there’s never an excuse for your circumstance. I learned that from Coach T [Tomlin].” 

Dobbs began his career with the Steelers after they drafted him with a fourth-round pick in 2017. He didn’t end up appearing in a game until the next season, and even then, played very sparingly.

The former Vol hadn’t participated in a full practice for Minnesota or even taken snaps from the starting center before taking over the offense. That didn’t stop him from going 20-for-30 and setting a new NFL record.

Dobbs sets new NFL record

After his trade from the Arizona Cardinals to Minnesota, Dobbs became the first player in NFL history to record three touchdown performances in back-to-back weeks for two different teams.

First, the former Tennessee star posted 208 passing yards and two passing touchdowns with one rushing touchdown last week for the Cardinals against the Ravens. Then, he had two more touchdown passes and another rushing touchdown for the Vikings against Atlanta.

Not only did Dobbs get the ball on Sunday due to injury, but also, he’s only in Minnesota because starting quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Having a good enough season to make an investment in Dobbs, the Vikings traded a sixth-round draft pick in this year’s draft for the QB and a conditional seventh-round selection.

Capitalizing off of injuries has been the name of the game all season long for the veteran quarterback. He took over as the starter for the Arizona Cardinals due to Kyler Murray‘s torn ACL.

Dobbs is certainly making the most of others’ misfortune this year. He has 1,727 passing yards, 324 rushing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and four rushing touchdowns, which is the most production he’s had in the NFL.

With the win on Sunday, the Vikings improved to 5-4 on the year while the Falcons dropped to 4-5. After the game, Dobbs shared a video to “introduce” himself to the fanbase.

“What’s up Skol Nation,” Dobbs said. “Wanted to introduce myself. I’m Josh Dobbs. Great dub today on Sunday here in Atlanta. … I’ll see you guys back in Minnesota. Let’s get it.”