Brett Rypien

Brett Rypien's Biography

Brett Robert Rypien, a native of Spokane, Washington, was born on July 9, 1996 and is widely recognized as an accomplished professional football quarterback. Rypien currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously kick-started his professional career in 2019 with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. Throughout his career, Rypien has also been a part of renowned teams such as Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Jets. Of note, Rypien shares a familial bond with Super Bowl XXVI MVP quarterback Mark Rypien, who happens to be his uncle.

Born to Tim and Julie Rypien, Brett displayed a promising talent in sports from a young age. He made a mark as a multi-sport athlete, playing football and baseball. The love for baseball came from his father who played at the minor league level. Consequently, Brett chose to pursue a career in football and hasn’t looked back since.

Rypien attended Shadle Park High School in Spokane, Washington. He held the position of quarterback throughout his high school years. By the time he graduated, he had shattered numerous Washington state records. He holds records for career passing yards and pass completions. His record-breaking feats also include single-season records for passing yards and touchdowns. Interestingly, all these records were previously held by one-time Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore. Rypien, known for his committment to academics, graduated early from Shadle Park as a student with a 4.0-grade point average, earning himself the title of valedictorian.

In April 2014, Rypien verbally committed to Boise State University. His talents earned him a four-star recruit rating from both Rivals and Scout, which were highly acclaimed sports recruiting networks. Rypien began taking classes at Boise State University, having enrolled early in 2015. He found an opening in the position of quarterback due to the graduation of Grant Hedrick, a two-year star. But despite the prospects, Rypien ended up redshirting during his freshman season.

In the third game of the Broncos’ season, Rypien got the opportunity to play when Ryan Finley, the starting quarterback, incurred an injury. This triggered Rypien’s entrance into the game, which saw him successfully leading the offense to scores during his four possessions. His performances earned him the first-team all-conference quarterback title of the Mountain West Conference (MW), making him the first-ever freshman to garner such a title.

Rypien continued to impress in his second year at Boise State. Despite suffering some personal loss off the field, he helped lead the Broncos to an undefeated start, while also winning the offensive player of the week honor in the Mountain West Conference. The season concluded with a 10-2 record under Rypien’s tenure.

In his third season at Boise State, Rypien earned recognition on four unique award watch lists, further establishing himself as a rising player. He led the Broncos to another strong season, bagging wins while also earning second-team all-conference honors.

Rypien’s fourth and final year at Boise State, was one filled with accolades. With his strong performance throughout, Rypien surpassed esteemed player Kellen Moore’s record for the most 300-yard passing games in school history. Upon the season end, he was conferred with the MW Player of the year award and also earned the first-team all-conference quarterback of the Mountain West.

After an illustrious college football career, Rypien stepped into professional sports, getting picked up by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. Analysts predicted Rypien’s success owing to his consistent college career performance, solid passing statistics, and excellent technique. However, his hand size and arm strength raised some concerns for the NFL teams.

Nevertheless, on April 27, 2019, Rypien announced on Twitter that he would “stay a Bronco” post the NFL draft. His signing included a guaranteed salary of $146,000 and a signing bonus of $10,000. His journey, thus far, underlines his focus and commitment to the game, solidifying his place as a notable player in the National Football League.