Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall’s first start at U.S. Bank Stadium will be against the same Packers squad he faced in his NFL debut.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell on Thursday announced Hall will start against the Packers in Week 17 on Sunday Night Football.
The 2023 fifth-round pick out of BYU made his NFL debut at Green Bay in Week 8 after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury at Lambeau Field.
Hall was 3-of-4 passing with 23 yards and helped Minnesota close out a 24-10 win over Green Bay in Week 8. He started at Atlanta the following week and led two offensive possessions, going 5-of-6 passing with 78 yards before suffering a concussion.
Hall has not played since but has continued to put in scheduled and extra work every week after being cleared medically.
“He’s had a few great weeks of preparation, and I look forward to seeing what Jaren can do,” O’Connell said. “There’s a lot of reasons we brought Jaren in here, having to do with his ability and what we look forward to seeing come to life on Sunday night. I also want to just say I thought Nick Mullens, as explosive as we were as an offense, helping us get 24 points in back-to-back games, he knows — I had a great conversation with both of those guys throughout the week, a lot of dialogue but — we have to maintain possession of the football, and the turnover margin has been well talked about all season long. It just felt like at this time, giving Jaren a full week of preparation and clearcut mindset on the game plan, I’m excited to see what Jaren can ultimately do.
Hall spoke with media members shortly after O’Connell’s announcement. He was asked if he thought he’d get this opportunity again.
“There’s a process for everybody. You’ve just got to take every opportunity you’re given,” Hall said. “For me, being on practice squad and giving our defense [looks] every day the last couple of weeks has been great. With that, you’re always preparing.”
