P.J. FLECK – Page 2 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Max Brosmer Makes a Positive Out of Seahawk Performance

Posted on August 11, 2026August 11, 2026 by David Shama

Max Brosmer, the Vikings second-year quarterback, may lead the QB roster in playing time on Saturday when the team opens its preseason schedule on the road against the Giants.

All four of the team’s quarterbacks could see the field, but perhaps only briefly for Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is in the process of choosing between the two as his regular season starter.

Veteran Carson Wentz, 33, is the presumed backup to Murray and McCarthy. That leaves Brosmer, signed as an undrafted rookie free agent last year, trying to make a QB roster that appears already settled.

O’Connell is a fan of the 2024 Golden Gophers starter. “…Might not have more than one interception in camp. Limited reps but he’s been really good,” O’Connell said Sunday.

NFL teams usually carry three quarterbacks on their final rosters. The mindset for KOC this summer may be that he wants to put his 25-year-old QB on the practice squad but to do so Brosmer would have to clear waivers with 31 other organizations.

And that’s pretty iffy, despite a challenging rookie season for Brosmer.

Former Gopher QB Max Brosmer — Max Brosmer photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

He played in seven regular season games and started two. He threw four interceptions and no touchdown passes. His subpar quarterback rating of 53 spoke to the difficulty of his rookie season.

His first start came against the Seahawks, a 26-0 road loss. He threw four interceptions and was sacked four times. He finished the game with a 32.8 rating.

Brosmer knew the game plan but wasn’t prepared for the moments. He rushed his reads and threw a bit too quickly trying to complete passes.

Processing too fast, forcing the ball and rushing decisions under pressure is not unusual for a rookie quarterback, but that doesn’t change the emotions of a difficult experience. Brosmer said it took a few weeks to “flush” his thoughts about the Seahawk game.

Brosmer told Sports Headliners he took a positive learning approach about the game. “You can either decide to look at that as ‘Woe is me. This is a terrible situation.’

‘Or hey, this is the best thing that ever happened to me.’

“And that’s my mindset about it.”

Brosmer is a savant when it comes to attitude and work ethic. He said he is an improved player because of having more time in the offensive system.

Wentz has helped him grow. The two are often on the same practice field and he watches how Wentz calls plays, does things in the huddle and causes defenders to move around. “It’s been really cool. I’ve been doing my best to apply that and it’s going to help me a lot.”

Brosmer isn’t in an ideal situation as he tries to extend his time with the Vikings. But he’s committed to all the physical and mental effort while enjoying the process “because that’s what I love.’

Worth Noting

Two predictions on subjects that interest Vikings fans the most:

Murray, the 29-year-old veteran of seven prior NFL seasons, will be named the No. 1 quarterback in 14 days or less.

Safety Harrison Smith, 37, will not join the Vikings in training camp and won’t play this season.

The Vikings-Giants game, with a noon start Minneapolis time, will be telecast in this market by FOX 9.

Capital Club founder Patrick Klinger has lined up MSHSL executive director Erich Martens and acclaimed Eden Prairie educator and football coach Mike Grant to speak about the state of youth sports at Mendakota Country Club on August 20. For more information about the breakfast club gathering, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

John Anderson, the beloved former Golden Gophers baseball coach who passed away last month, was so admired by University of Minnesota boosters that some thought he would be a terrific athletics director.

Minnesota’s Mark Coyle and P.J.Fleck, working together since 2017, are the longest tenured athletics director and head football coach duo in the 18 member Big Ten Conference.

In two series this season, the Brewers won four times against the Twins, with Milwaukee earning each of its victories by one run.

Tim Murray, the longtime Murray’s Restaurant advertiser with Sports Headliners, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Target Field on August 18 before the Twins and Braves game in celebration of his establishment’s 80-year anniversary.

Minnesota baseball hall of famer Paul Molitor turns 70 on August 22. Former Gophers women’s basketball coach Pam Borton will be 61 on the same day.

Retired Star Tribune sports columnist Jim Souhan has relocated to Hilton Head, South Carolina.

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Ads, Interview & Golf Put KOC in News Prior to Camp

Posted on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings don’t open training camp until July 26 (rookies and quarterbacks) but head coach Kevin O’Connell is making news.

O’Connell will be filming TV commercials this week for Blaze Credit Union as part of his new endorsement partnership with the Minnesota-based, member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. The ads will be seen around the time the Vikings’ regular season begins in September.

The coach will also make radio commercials and be seen on billboards. A Blaze spokesperson wrote that there is also a “charity component” to the partnership but no community events are scheduled yet.

“We chose to partner with O’Connell, because of his character and reputation,” Dan Stoltz, Blaze CEO and president, said in an announcement statement. “He is a genuine person who knows what it takes to lead both on and off the field. He treats every individual with sincerity and respect which aligns with Blaze to the core.”

Blaze (a Sports Headliners advertiser) is known for working with prominent and high character local sports figures including Brock Faber, Tony Oliva and Lindsay Whalen. Before leaving the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins was a celebrity endorser for Blaze.

O’Connell was a guest last week on the “Dan Patrick Show” seen and heard nationally on TV and radio. He reiterated he’s not ready to commit to a starting quarterback in the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. He again stressed the goal of the competition for the job elevating the quality of quarterback performance on his team.

O’Connell is entering his fifth season as the team’s head coach. He pointed out on the show that in the two years his starting quarterback was able to play full seasons the team has won 13 and 14 games respectively in 2022 and 2024.

O’Connell is a high level amateur golfer and is back in town after participating in the American Century Champion Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort golf course in Nevada. He finished No. 81 among 90 entrants in the annual tournament that includes athletes and entertainers and ended Sunday, according to results from Nbcsports.com.

The Wild’s Matt Boldy was ninth in the field. Former Viking Adam Thielen tied for 16^th,, while another former Viking, Patrick Peterson, was 20^th. Minneapolis native and NFL great Larry Fitzgerald Jr. tied for 22^nd. Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer tied for 51^st.

Edina-born and former pro tennis player Mardy Fish won the tournament for a third time having previous triumphs in 2020 and 2024. He won $150,000 in the $750,000 tournament.

Worth Noting

Minnesota natives and pitchers Louie Varland and Max Meyer were chosen for the 2026 American and National League All-Star rosters respectively. They are first-time all-stars representing the AL Blue Jays and NL Marlins.

The most memorable year for native Minnesota All-Stars was probably 1985. St. Paul’s Paul Molitor, Jack Morris and Dave Winfield were chosen for the All-Star Game representing the Brewers, Tigers and Yankees respectively. Fittingly, the game was played at the Metrodome with the National League winning 6-1.

Derek Shelton, a coach for the American League in tonight’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, is among the wagering favorites to win American League Manager of the Year. To do so the Twins, 48-49, will have to make the playoffs. No manager in either league has won the award since 2006 without skippering a postseason club.

Other betting favorites for the award include two Central Division rivals, Will Venable from the White Sox and Stephen Vogt (2025 winner) from the Guardians. Dan Wilson, the former All-American catcher for the Golden Gophers, is also a favorite for his work with the Mariners.

Wilson played for John Anderson, the now retired Gopher coach who will receive the prestigious Lefty Gomez Award next January from the American Baseball Coaches Association. The annual award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to baseball locally, nationally, and internationally.

Referred to affectionately as “14” by admirers (his unform number), Anderson was known for his success in not only winning games, but also the classy way he impacted the Gopher program including his players. He became Minnesota’s coach in 1981 and retired after the 2024 season as the winningest baseball coach in Big Ten history.

Anderson texted the following regarding the award: “Humbling honor that is an achievement by an army of people that contributed to the program’s success during my leadership of the Gopher baseball program. Nothing is accomplished by one individual. I am grateful for all those special relationships that I shared over the years.”

Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck speaks to the Capital Club on July 21 at Mendakota Country Club. Going into his 10^th season leading the Gophers, the personable Fleck is now the second longest tenured Big Ten coach at his school after Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (28^th season leading the Hawkeyes). For more information on the breakfast program, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketing.com

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Donations Saved Courageous Casey O’Brien’s Life

Posted on June 23, 2026July 19, 2026 by David Shama

About two years ago beloved former Golden Gopher football player Casey O’Brien and his parents opted for a GoFundMe page to assist with costs from his long battle with osteosarcoma, a rare bone disease.

At one point the online resource showed $394,328 in donations. It wasn’t an easy decision to ask for help, but it was the right one.

“For sure. No question,” said Casey’s father Dan O’Brien. “Experimental things that we’ve done are not covered by insurance and they’re expensive.”

The older O’Brien, the former Gopher football assistant coach/administrator and now athletics director at Saint John’s in Collegeville, expressed the family’s gratitude for donations in a phone interview with Sports Headliners.

“It was incredible. We’ve been able to do several things to keep him alive because of how generous people were to us.”

Now there is no need for a public appeal. “We’re good,” Dan said. “Insurance has been good.”

Casey, 27, has lived a remarkable and inspiring journey since he was diagnosed with his awful disease at 13 years old. He has consulted with countless medical people, endured more than 40 surgeries and beaten his rare cancer seven times only to see it return.

“There probably isn’t anybody that is walking around this earth that has had the same kind of battle that he’s had,” Dan said. “We (including mom Chris) know that. The doctors tell us there’s no script to follow with his situation.

“It’s an amazing story and he’s got an incredible will and fight. And he’s still on this earth for a reason, and we’re thankful for that every single day.”

Sports Headliners reported on Casey in April of last year. A new development in his saga was breathing issues. His lungs were and remain compromised by osteosarcoma.

Dan was asked to compare Casey’s overall health now with 14 months ago. “That’s a good question. I would say it’s probably a little bit better. …

“There’s one spot (osteosarcoma, right lung) that they’re tracking right now and we’ve actually got an appointment here in July that we go to Chicago and get a treatment done on that.

“But his biggest challenge still remains the breathing. His lung capacity is a challenge.

“He can work. He’s working full time for RBC as he was last year at this time. They’ve been fabulous to him.

“So, he’ll work at home in the morning and go to downtown Minneapolis in the afternoon. From that standpoint it’s good. He’ll exercise a little bit (there). They (RBC) have a nice fitness center that he’ll use.

“But he’s still very, very limited with the breathing and that’s our challenge right now is to try to figure out a way to improve his breathing.”

Cancer survivor and former Gopher football player Casey O'Brien — Casey O’Brien photo courtesy of his GoFundMe page.

Casey, whose exercise routine includes using a treadmill, is a senior investment associate at RBC and enjoys his work. The position provides a “normalcy” to his life, Dan said. And on the personal side another positive is the home Casey purchased next door to his parents in Mendota Heights. The location gives him his own space but he’s also close enough to get help from his parents if need be.

Caleb Miley, a friend dating back to high school at Cretin-Derham Hall, is Casey’s roommate. His friends also include former roommates from the University of Minnesota. Hanging out with them is frequent and adds to the bright moments in Casey’s life that include spending time at the family cabin near Spicer.

Casey, a Carlson School of Management grad, was part of the U football program for four seasons as a placeholder. He played in two games during his career, including 2019 against Rutgers where he held the football three times on point-after touchdown kicks. Listed at 6-1, 185-pounds, he walked on at the U program and earned two letters before retiring from football at Minnesota after the 2020 season.

Casey counts former Gophers head coach Jerry Kill and current coach P.J. Fleck among his many friends and admirers. “Both of them are really important to Casey,” Dan said.

Kill, himself a cancer survivor, texted last year that “Casey is no doubt the toughest person I have ever met, period!”

Fleck offered this praise via email in 2025: “His story is one that has impacted a community and a sport. He has inspired countless lives and changed the way people look at cancer survivors.”

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