1 / 4 century in the past, a then-obscure former indoor soccer star named Kurt Warner led the Rams to an surprising title after beginning quarterback Trent Inexperienced suffered a season-ending harm within the preseason. Whereas nobody is aware of how the Vikings’ 2024 season will play out, it is starting is strikingly much like the 1999 Rams.
On Friday, Minnesota formally positioned rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy on injured reserve after he suffered a season-ending knee harm throughout the Vikings’ preseason opener towards the Raiders. In a corresponding transfer, the group signed Matt Corral, whose skilled profession to this point has simply as many ups and downs as Warner’s did on the similar level in his profession.
Like Warner, Corral has had success in an alternate league. He not too long ago received every of his three begins for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions. On this yr’s UFL convention championship recreation, Corral got here off the bench to go 9 of 11 for 120 yards with two landing passes in main the Stallions to a win over Michigan. Birmingham then went onto win its third consecutive league title.
“I feel Matt is a really gifted particular person, however greater than something, I feel as we speak is an unbelievable lesson in resolve,” Stallions coach Skip Holtz stated after the win over Michigan. “Not in 4 quarters of resolve however in two months of resolve, as he has needed to stand on the sideline. And but, he has taken each week in apply, they’ve cut up reps to maintain them each sharp and prepared. It might have been actual straightforward for him to hold his head, sulk, pout, and but, he is been utterly in it and prepared for his alternative.”
Corral’s resolve has been on show all through his professional profession. It began when he injured his leg throughout his closing school recreation, a recreation that many individuals in his place would have opted out of. The harm was a bitter ending to an in any other case glittering season that noticed Corral set a number of faculty data.
Regardless of a prolific two-year run at Ole Miss, Corral wasn’t chosen till the Panthers took him with the 94th total choose of the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season did not final lengthy after he suffered a season-ending harm in Carolina’s third preseason recreation.
A yr later, Corral quickly walked away from soccer shortly after being claimed off waivers by the Patriots (he was waived by Carolina simply earlier than the beginning of the common season). He did not signal with anybody else earlier than placing pen to paper with the Stallions final February.
Whereas his UFL numbers weren’t something particular, Corral did win every of his three begins along with his aid work in Birmingham’s win over Michigan.
Corral joins a crowded Vikings quarterback room that features new starter Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens and Jaren Corridor. Corral is probably going in a contest to be the group’s No. 3 quarterback.
Whereas the chances of Corral ever beginning a recreation for the Vikings are slim, crazier issues have occurred earlier than. Simply ask Warner and the 1999 Rams.
