Brooks Bollinger

Games and Starts

19 games/10 starts; 7 games/1 start as a Vikings

Professional Biography

Veteran player with starting experience in the NFL…Joined the Vikings QB group as a seasoned backup…Threw 1^st career TD pass to Jerald Sowell vs. San Diego (11/6/05) in the 4^th quarter and found Laveranues Coles later in the 4^th quarter as the Jets mounted a furious comeback effort. Bollinger entered the game for an injured Vinny Testaverde in the 3^rd quarter down 28-13 and rallied the Jets to 2 TDs but fell 31-26…Won 1^st game as a starter vs. Oakland (12/11/05) with a 26-10 win. Set the NY Jets franchise record for rushing yards by a QB with 56 on 6 carries against the Raiders…Connected with TE Doug Jolley for the longest pass play by the Jets in 2005 with a 60-yard TD at Miami (12/18/05)…Saw 1^st career game action in 13-3 win at Arizona (11/28/04)…Part of the 2004 Jets that went 10-6, advanced to the AFC playoffs and won an overtime Wild Card game at San Diego before falling to eventual Super Bowl XL champions Pittsburgh in overtime during the Divisional Round.

NFL History

•    Saw action in 5 games throughout the 2007 season with 1 start.
•    Came into games in relief of starters Tarvaris Jackson and Kelly Holcomb.  
•    Converted the Vikings 1st 2-point conversion since 2005.
•    Started 1st game with the Vikings @ Green Bay (11/11) as he returned to Wisconsin where he starred for the Badgers during his collegiate career. Threw season-long 50-yard pass to Chester Taylor.
•    Entered game in OT period @ Detroit (9/16) for injured starter Tarvaris Jackson and completed 3-of-4 passes.
•    Saw 1st action in a Vikings uniform when he came in to relieve Brad Johnson vs. New England (10/22/06). Ended day with 6 completions on 9 attempts and 76 yards. Connected on a 50-yard screen pass to Mewelde Moore in the game for the longest pass of the night and tied for longest pass of 2006 by the Vikings.
•    Came to the Vikings in trade with NY Jets on 8/31/06 in exchange for DT C.J. Mosley and a draft choice.

College Information

Helped Badgers set a Big Ten record as the 1^st team to win back-to-back Rose Bowls with a 17-9 win in the 2000 Rose over Stanford with Bollinger as the redshirt freshman starter…During his collegiate career, he was 3-0 in bowl games, winning the Rose over Stanford, the Sun Bowl over UCLA in 2000 and the Alamo Bowl against Colorado in his final collegiate game in 2002…Left UW with a 30-12 record as a starter and ranked 2^nd in career passing only to Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, throwing for 5,627 yards and 38 TDs…Left with UW record for rushing by a QB with 1,767 yards and 26 TDs…Ranks among only 7 players in Big Ten Conference history to win 30 games as a starting QB…Ranks among only 7 players in Big Ten annals to throw for 30+ TDs and rush for 20+…Was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award that Carson Palmer won…Was named Big Ten Rookie of the Year in 1999…Team captain in 2001 and 2002.

Personal Biography

Standout at Central High in Grand Forks, ND…Threw for 40 career TDs and ran for 19 as a prep…Started every game at QB for the team since 9^th grade…Earned degree in history from Wisconsin…Played at UW when Vikings line coach Jim Hueber was on the Badger staff and was recruited to UW by Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress…Father, Rob, was the offensive coordinator for the University of North Dakota and coached when Vikings TE Jim Kleinsasser was at UND…Drafted by the LA Dodgers in 2000 despite not playing baseball since Legion ball in high school…Participated in the Alliance for Lupus Research walk in 2003 while with the NY Jets…Married, wife’s name is Natalie and the couple has a son, Miles.