Following Carson Wentz’s season-ending injury, the Minnesota Vikings have made a strategic move to bolster their quarterback depth by signing John Wolford to their practice squad. This decision comes as the team looks to support its quarterbacks, J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer, in the wake of Wentz’s unfortunate setback.
John Wolford, the nephew of former NFL offensive lineman Will Wolford, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest in 2018. After initial stints with the New York Jets, where he was released after training camp, and the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football—where he led the league in touchdown passes—Wolford found a foothold with the Los Angeles Rams. His connections to the Rams, particularly with head coach Kevin O’Connell, helped him remain with the team until the 2022 season, during which he secured a Super Bowl ring following the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 season.
In 2023, Wolford spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was part of the practice squad and participated in their training camp before being released. He later signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars but faced another release following their training camp in 2025. Throughout his career, Wolford has started four regular-season games, achieving a record of 2-2, with a completion rate of 58.7%. He has registered one touchdown against five interceptions.
As the Vikings now look to integrate Wolford into their lineup, they will need to promote him to the active roster should they choose to use him as an emergency quarterback during games, given that practice-squad players cannot simply be elevated on game days for this role.
The addition of Wolford represents a hopeful step for the Vikings as they aim to navigate the rest of the season with a solid backup plan in place. His prior experience in various league settings and connections within the NFL will be beneficial as he adapts to his new environment in Minnesota.