Vikes’ Mullens on benching: ‘I totally understand’

EAGAN, Minn. — A day after the Minnesota Vikings replaced him as their starting quarterback, Nick Mullens reacted with candor and sincerity.

“I totally understand,” Mullens said after his second day of practice working behind new starter Jaren Hall. “To me it’s pretty cut and dry. If I turn the ball over, I’m probably not going to be in the game. I feel like I let the team down and that sucks.”

Mullens threw six interceptions while starting the Vikings’ past two games. A seventh interception was called back by penalty and an eighth was dropped.

Mullens also completed 69.6% of his passes and threw for 714 yards over that stretch, including 411 in a 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions. But in announcing his decision Thursday, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said: “We have to maintain possession of the football.”

The transition to Hall for Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers extended a two-month carousel the Vikings have endured since losing starter Kirk Cousins to a torn right Achilles tendon in Week 8. Mullens had entered the season as Cousins’ backup, but he was on injured reserve because of a back ailment when Cousins was injured.

Hall started in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons but suffered a concussion in that game, giving way to Josh Dobbs.

Mullens replaced Dobbs five weeks later.

“I feel like we have a great group,” Mullens said, “and to see guys go through so much during the season, and then you get in and you really feel like you let your team down. That weighs on you a good bit.”

Mullens will be the No. 2 behind Hall on Sunday night, with Dobbs serving as the emergency No. 3.

“Nick’s going to go through the process of preparing like he’s always been very, very good at, even when we’ve had Kirk,” O’Connell said. “If Nick has to step in, like he did [in Week 14] against the Raiders, like he’s done throughout his career, now he’s just got more experience, recent experience, to rely on when called upon if he has to go into the game.

“Quite frankly, I’ve got a lot of confidence in Nick, regardless of what the situation is that he goes into that game, that he can go out and have success.”