On Dec. 20, 2021, Nick Mullens made the Cleveland Browns the first NFL team to start two quarterbacks from Southern Miss. On Saturday, Minnesota will become the second when Mullens opens under center for the Vikings against Cincinnati Bengals.

Mullens’ lone start for Cleveland came after Austin Davis started two games for the Browns in 2015. In Minnesota, Mullens will follow Brett Favre, who started 29 games for the Vikings in the final two seasons of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career.

“Brett Favre’s been very supportive over my career,” Mullens said. “I like to think all the guys from Southern Miss pull for each other. Even in Vegas (on Sunday), there were two Southern Miss guys and we were talking after the game, so yeah, the Southern Miss family is tight.

“And so I’m very appreciative of Brett Favre being so supportive throughout my career. When I started in San Francisco, he was offering support. Got to throw with him in pre-draft and obviously any time you get to throw with a legend, very thankful for those opportunities. So, yeah, it’s been cool. It’s been exciting for sure. I’m very thankful for his support.”

While Saturday will mark Mullens’ first start for Minnesota, he’s made 17 others during his NFL career.

“It’s not cool to start,” Mullens said. “It’s cool to start and play well. So that’s the goal, and that’s what we’re all working for.”

Mullens will become the Vikings’ fourth starting quarterback this season, with the turnover triggered when Kirk Cousins suffered an Achilles-tendon injury in the eighth game of the season.

“Kirk was playing at an All-Pro level,” Mullens said, “so it’s awesome to just watch that and experience that. That’s the standard of what it looks like. And then that happens, and, obviously, uncertain times for everybody. We just take it one step at a time. You got to understand tough things are going to happen in the NFL. You just got to keep your head down as a group, and that’s what this team did. We’ve obviously been through a lot this year, and the year’s not over, so just got to keep our head down, keep working and commit to the process.”

Mullens would have entered the Minnesota lineup when Cousins went down for the season, but the Vikings had placed Mullens on injured reserve on Oct. 11 with a back ailment.

Mullens has been back at practice for four weeks.

“I feel really good and ready to go,” Mullens said.

With Cousins and Mullens sidelined, fifth-round rookie Jarren Hall went into the lineup at quarterback. But after 15 snaps in his first start, Hall left to be examined for a concussion. That left Minnesota with Josh Dobbs to play quarterback. Dobbs started eight games for Arizona this season, but with Kyler Murray on the way back from injured reserve, the Cardinals traded Dobbs to the Vikings on Oct. 31.

Without any practice reps, Dobbs came in for Hall and led Minnesota to a 31-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 5. After a week of practice, Dobbs won again when the Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints 27-19 on Nov. 12. But losses to the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears followed, and Minnesota was tied with the Las Vegas Raiders 0-0 on Sunday when Mullens relieved Dobbs.

On his second possession at the helm, Mullens guided Minnesota on a 56-yard, 13-play drive that ended with Greg Joseph’s 36-yard field goal on the first play after the two-minute warning. Mullens completed three third-down passes during the series, which led to the Vikings’ 3-0 victory

Mullens completed 9-of-13 passes for 83 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions against the Raiders.

“We have a great room,” Mulllens said of his fellow Minnesota quarterbacks. “We have a great group of guys. Josh came in and has been nothing but a positive influence on our team, and obviously he’s done incredible stuff with the win in Atlanta and his other win as well. So we have a great room.

“And you never know what the NFL’s going to give you. You never know what the season’s going to be like, so it’s important to be tight, have chemistry, good communication.”

The Gatorade Alabama Football Player of the Year in 2012 at Spain Park High School, Mullens started eight games for the San Francisco 49ers in 2018 and again in 2020.

“You always want to get on the field however that may be, so I’m excited,” Mullens said as he again moves from backup to starter. “But the preparation doesn’t change too much. Obviously, you get some more reps in practice. You’ll be able to feel, see the looks more. But try to stick to the routine. I like the routine I’ve had in the past, so going to stick to it and be prepared to play.”

The Vikings and Bengals square off at noon CST Saturday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. NFL Network will televise the game.

Both teams have 7-6 records with four games remaining on their regular-season schedules. As one of the five NFC teams with a winning record in 2023, Minnesota is currently penciled into a wild-card spot in the conference’s postseason projections. But with 11 AFC teams owning winning records, the Bengals are 10th in the conference’s playoff pecking order.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.