Brett Rypien Bio
Brett Robert Rypien is an American professional football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos before signing with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Across his NFL career, Rypien has also been a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Indianapolis Colts.
Born in Spokane, Washington, Rypien built his reputation as a precise pocket passer during a record-setting career at Boise State. He has served primarily as a backup quarterback in the NFL, stepping in for short stretches when starters went down with injuries. His journeyman path through multiple franchises reflects his value as a reliable, team-first reserve.
Early Life and Background
Brett Robert Rypien was born on July 9, 1996, in Spokane, Washington, to Tim and Julie Rypien. He grew up as a multi-sport athlete, playing both football and baseball in his youth. His father played baseball at the minor league level, which gave the family a deep background in competitive sports.
Rypien attended Shadle Park High School in Spokane, where he played quarterback for all four years. By the time he graduated, he had set Washington state records for career passing yards with 13,044, a mark formerly held by former Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore. He also set state records for career pass completions, single-season passing yards, single-season touchdowns, single-game passing yards, and single-game completions.
A 4.0 student, Rypien graduated as the valedictorian of his high school class. Rated as a four-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout, he verbally committed to Boise State University in April 2014 and enrolled early in January 2015. That early enrollment allowed him to take part in spring practices and begin his college transition ahead of schedule.
Path to American Football
Rypien enrolled at Boise State in January 2015 with the goal of competing for the starting quarterback role. With two-year starter Grant Hedrick graduating, the Broncos had an opening, and Rypien battled Ryan Finley for the job. Although Finley was named starter at the end of fall camp, Rypien got his chance early when Finley broke his ankle in the third game of the season against Idaho State.
Entering the game in the second half, Rypien led the offense to scores on each of his four possessions, including three touchdowns and a field goal, burning his redshirt in the process. He became the first true freshman quarterback to play in a game for Boise State since 1993. From that moment, his trajectory as a college starter was set, and he never looked back.
Throughout his four seasons at Boise State, Rypien earned three first-team All-Mountain West selections and one second-team nod. He was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year in 2015 and Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2018. He finished his career as the all-time Mountain West leader in passing yards with 13,581, completions with 1,036, and 300-yard passing games with 21, ranking second all-time at Boise State in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts.
Brett Rypien Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
Rypien’s early college career produced immediate results. In his first three starts at Boise State, the Broncos averaged over 50 points per game while Rypien threw for more than 300 yards per contest and totaled eight touchdowns. He set the Boise State record for most passing yards in a game by a freshman with 469 yards against UNLV, then topped his own mark with 506 yards against New Mexico the following week.
He earned first-team All-Mountain West honors as a freshman, the first freshman in conference history to do so, and added Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors. The Broncos finished 9-4 and closed with a record-setting win over Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl, where Rypien earned offensive MVP honors. In his final college season, he was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year after leading Boise State to a 10-3 regular season record, and he competed in the 2019 East-West Shrine Game following his senior campaign.
Denver Broncos Era (2019-2022)
After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Rypien signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. He was waived at the end of training camp and signed to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on November 1, 2019, serving as the backup to Brandon Allen. Rypien was waived again in late November and re-signed to the practice squad, finishing his rookie season on a reserve/future contract.
In 2020, Rypien made his first NFL start on October 1 against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football and led the Broncos to a 37-28 victory, throwing for 242 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He later appeared in relief against Tampa Bay, completing his first eight passes before a game-ending interception. Rypien spent time on the reserve/COVID-19 list in November 2020 after close contact with Jeff Driskel.
Rypien earned two more starts with Denver in 2022 after Russell Wilson was sidelined by a hamstring injury. He passed for 225 yards in a Week 7 loss to the Jets and followed with 197 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a Week 15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Across his Denver tenure from 2019 to 2022, Rypien appeared in multiple games while establishing himself as a dependable depth piece.
Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks (2023)
Rypien signed with the Los Angeles Rams on May 4, 2023, and was released late in August before re-signing to the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on September 13, 2023, and made a season starting debut against the Green Bay Packers before being waived on November 7, 2023. Just three days later, on November 10, the Seattle Seahawks signed him to their practice squad, and he was elevated to the active roster on November 23.
New York Jets and Chicago Bears (2023-2024)
On December 5, 2023, the New York Jets signed Rypien off the Seahawks practice squad, giving him a brief late-season stop in the AFC East. He then signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears on March 13, 2024, but was released on August 27, 2024, before the regular season began.
Minnesota Vikings and Beyond (2024-Present)
Rypien signed with the Minnesota Vikings on August 29, 2024, and remained with the organization through a series of moves in early 2025. On January 7, 2025, he was waived to make room for Daniel Jones, then re-signed to the Vikings practice squad on January 9 before being released on August 24. He joined the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad on August 27, 2025, was promoted to the active roster on September 16 after Joe Burrow’s injury, and was released on October 7, 2025, following the team’s trade for Joe Flacco.
Rypien signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad on October 15, 2025, was elevated to the active roster on December 10, and was released on December 22, 2025. On December 23, 2025, the Minnesota Vikings claimed him off waivers, returning him to the franchise where he had spent much of 2024.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rypien is regarded as an accurate passer who is comfortable operating from under center. NFL analysts entering the 2019 draft praised his precision on all three levels of the field, while noting concerns about his hand size and arm strength. His approach favors rhythm throws, quick decisions, and smart football rather than flashy improvisation.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rypien’s most memorable NFL moment came on October 1, 2020, when he led the Broncos to a 37-28 Thursday Night Football win over the Jets in his first NFL start. His record-setting freshman year at Boise State, including a 506-yard passing game against New Mexico, stands as a defining college milestone, along with finishing as the Mountain West’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, and 300-yard games.
Brett Rypien Career Wins
Brett Rypien’s career wins span both the college and professional levels. At Boise State, he was the starting quarterback for multiple double-digit win seasons, including a 9-4 finish in 2015, 10-3 marks in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and an 11-3 campaign capped by a Las Vegas Bowl victory over Oregon. In the NFL, his regular-season victories as a starter include a 37-28 debut win over the Jets and a 24-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in 2022.
College Highlights
Rypien won the Poinsettia Bowl offensive MVP award as a freshman after Boise State’s win over Northern Illinois. He also led the Broncos to a Las Vegas Bowl win over Oregon in 2017 and finished his college career as the all-time Mountain West leader in passing yards with 13,581, completions with 1,036, and 300-yard passing games with 21. He was a three-time first-team All-Mountain West selection and a second-team pick in 2017.
Other Performances
Rypien earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors in 2015 and Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2018. He participated in the 2019 East-West Shrine Game, going 10 of 14 for 134 yards and a touchdown. While his professional résumé features limited starting opportunities, his consistency as a backup has kept him on NFL rosters since 2019.
Brett Rypien Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rypien comes from a deeply athletic family. He is the nephew of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, who played in the league for many seasons and won Super Bowl XXVI MVP honors. He is also the cousin of former LFL quarterback Angela Rypien, and a cousin-once-removed of the late Rick Rypien, an NHL enforcer who spent his entire seven-year career with the Vancouver Canucks. On his mother’s side of the family, Rypien is the nephew of Chris Tormey, an assistant with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League.
Personal Life
Because of his father’s Canadian citizenship, Rypien is eligible to hold dual American and Canadian citizenship. In 2019, prior to the NFL and Canadian Football League drafts, he was reportedly working on formally securing his Canadian citizenship. Rypien stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds, a build suited to his role as a pocket-passing quarterback.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a whirlwind for Rypien, who spent time with three different organizations across the calendar year. He began the year on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad before being released in late August and quickly joining the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad on August 27. With Jake Browning serving as Cincinnati’s starter following Joe Burrow’s injury, Rypien was promoted to the active roster on September 16 as the team’s backup quarterback.
Rypien’s Bengals stint ended on October 7 when the team traded for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, prompting his release. Just over a week later, on October 15, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad and was elevated to the active roster on December 10. He was released by Indianapolis on December 22, 2025, after appearing in limited action.
Closing the year with familiarity, Rypien was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings on December 23, 2025, returning to a franchise he had previously signed with in 2024. His 2025 journey reflects the journeyman reality of an NFL backup, with stints as a practice squad asset, an emergency promotion, and multiple midseason moves highlighting his value as a reliable reserve quarterback.