Disaster Strikes for Kellen Mond
In the last five NFL Drafts, the Minnesota Vikings drafted three quarterbacks. The most recent one was first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, who will hopefully be the long-term starting signal-caller in the Twin Cities. In 2023, Jaren Hall was picked in the fifth round, but he was cut prior to his second campaign. Before him, Kellen Mond was supposed to be the mid-round flier in 2021 to see whether he could develop into a future option.
Disaster Strikes for Kellen Mond
Mond lasted as long as Hall in Minnesota. He was cut following his second preseason. After his unsuccessful stint with the Vikings and a couple of other primarily practice-squad gigs in the NFL, he wanted to rejuvenate his professional football career in the UFL.
The United Football League is perfect for players who can’t get a job in the NFL and need a second or third chance. An audition in the spring league could quickly generate interest. That’s how Jalen Redmond, last year’s Vikings breakout defender, caught Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s eye.
However, for Mond, that chapter in his career hasn’t gone too well. He played five games, and the San Antonio Brahmas pulled the plug and benched the former third-rounder for ex-NFLer Kevin Hogan.
James Larsen, UFL Newsroom, reported on social media, “NEWS: The San Antonio Brahmas will be starting Kevin Hogan at quarterback this week, vs. the Stallions. Hogan has primarily been QB3, but after Payton Pardee opened up the competition in practice this week, the veteran gets the starting nod for the Brahmas.
Ending up on the bench in the UFL is pretty much a death sentence for a player’s NFL ambitions. If an NFL team is looking for an extra arm in training camp or the preseason, they will undoubtedly look at one of the most productive starters in the UFL, not the backup.
Through the first five contests, Mond completed 67 of 118 passes (56.8%) for 597 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. In Week 5’s 27-3 blowout loss against the Houston Roughnecks, he was benched halfway through the game. His numbers were horrendous. He completed four of nine passes for 35 yards and had an interception. Backup Jarrett Guarantano was not any better, completing 6 of 15 passes for 29 yards and a pick.
In the following week, head coach Payron Pardee revealed: “I believe in all three quarterbacks we have. I think they’re all very talented. They all have unique skill sets, so I feel very confident in the players that we have in that room, but that’s going to be something that we evaluate this week in practice.
Ultimately, neither Mond nor previous backup Guarantano got the nod. Former Browns passer Kevin Hogan will start in Week 6 against the Birmingham Stallions.
Mond’s tenure with the Vikings ended unceremoniously in 2022. Previous head coach Mike Zimmer infamously threw him under the bus late in his rookie season. Kevin O’Connell, a former young depth quarterback fighting for his chance, was hired, giving folks hope that he could form Mond into a solid player.
After spending training camp and a preseason game with him, the new regime made the move to acquire Nick Mullens from the Raiders via trade.
Since the Vikings cut him, he has bounced around with stints in Cleveland, Indianapolis, and New Orleans. His NFL stats show one appearance, a crucial late-season game at Lambeau Field when Kirk Cousins was ineligible to play on the COVID list and Sean Mannion needed a break due to a minor injury. He completed two of three passes for five yards and a dropped pick-six.
Mond will turn 26 next month, and his time is running out.
Editor’s Note: Information from the UFL and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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