The meteoric rise of Space Odyssey: The remarkable journey of Josh Dobbs, from fan favorite to cult hero
Josh Dobbs' introduction to the Minnesota Vikings following his debut was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Despite not knowing the names of his teammates, Dobbs led the way, leading the pack and winning the race, in a true display of grit and determination.
The 28-year-old, who joined the Arizona Cardinals, joined the Vikings squad just a few days prior to their Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons, where he started as the backup quarterback.
Dobbs' performance during the game was impressive, completing 20 of 30 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns and leading the Vikings to a 31:28 victory. He showed both aerial and ground prowess, and his courage on the field earned him the quarterback title. With an aerospace engineering degree and a nickname that fittingly fits his new role ($\dollar$The Astros$\dollar$), Dobbs' future beyond football is far from over.
"It's really cool to see the commercial opportunities that space travel presents, and how many people have the chance to become astronauts," Dobbs said in October's Dave Pash Podcast, "It's a big decision, but it will be cool."
Return to China
Dressed in gray and orange, Dobbs stood on the sidelines holding the MVP trophy high, as he led the Tennessee Volunteers to victory in his final college football game at the Music City Bowl 2016. Dobbs and his teammate Derek Barnett were to conduct a selected audience with tickets in the Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
The entire game, Dobbs amassed 291 yards and one touchdown and ran 118 yards and three more points. It was the first time Tennessee had won three bowls in a row since Hall of Famer Peyton Manning played quarterback.
Dobbs concluded his career at Tennessee with 2,160 yards and 32 touchdowns, making him the best quarterback-rushing scorer in the program's history. During the NFLPA's virtual internship program, Dobbs spent two offseasons at the Kennedy Space Flight Center of NASA.
Despite Dobbs' successes on the field, he did not secure a new home until the third day of the 2017 draft and had to settle for a position in the third string on the Steelers roster, behind Ben Roethlisberger and Landry Jones.
During his time at Penn State, Dobbs' opportunities were limited due to playing in just six games in two years and completing only six passes.
After leaving the team in 2019, Dobbs bounced around to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Steelers, Browns, and Lions, but struggled to leave his mark on any of those teams.
However, the Titans signed Dobbs eight days before their crucial Week 17 game against the Dallas Cowboys, as starter Ryan Tannehill was ruled out with an injury and Rookie Malik Willis was suffering from problems.
Dobbs earned his first NFL start in the loss and showed his fortitude, demonstrating leadership and tenacity. He then started the Titans' Week 18 game against his former team, the Jaguars, knowing a win would secure the division title and advance them to the playoffs.
Dobbs once again made headlines with an otherwise lackluster offensive effort. Even though Tennessee ultimately did not make the playoffs, Dobbs managed to revive his career in just two weeks, returning to the state where he had made a name for himself in college football.
"We trust Dobbs"
Dobbs' outlooks for the 2022 season look promising, and it appears that he will begin the next season as the Browns' backup, if the Browns re-sign him.
But just before the new season began, Dobbs was traded to the Arizona Cardinals to replace the injured Kyler Murray, sending him to a team where he didn't know the playbook or the names of some of his teammates.
Dobbs' sudden arrival in Arizona also presented a challenge for the Cardinals, who apparently had forgotten to stock the fans with his jersey in time.
For a team that was expected to draft high due to their poor record, Dobbs and first-year coach Jonathan Gannon built a competitive team that ended up finishing in first place in the draft. With an impressive 28-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, they stood out with a remarkable result, winning their first game of the season.
Despite winning only one more game with the team, Dobbs' reputation grew even stronger in his first eight games with Arizona, so much so that the team invited him back to replace Rookie Kirk Cousins, who was injured.
Dobbs' ability to execute quick decisions was tested again – he did not go through a warm-up with the starting quarterback before being sent into the game against the Falcons.
In his seventh season, but only his 17th game, Dobbs again fought against all odds and led the way to victory. Camera crews captured his emotional embrace with Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, who had something to say to Dobbs.
"All I'm saying is, that's why we brought you here," O'Connell said, when asked what he told Dobbs. "This guy has been through some tough situations like today.
"I just told him: 'You're going to be the best version of yourself because you have these guys on the sidelines and in the locker room, and I'll be with you every step of the way. Let's see what happens.' We can do whatever we want with this guy." A week later, with more preparation time – Dobbs said he had time to memorize the names of his teammates – the quarterback led the Vikings to another victory, 27-19 over New Orleans Saints.
The 28-year-old threw for another touchdown and ran for the next, generating even more magic, leading Minnesota to victory. His sudden touchdown left O'Connell with a confused expression after the game, and the head coach even went so far as to say, "I don't know what just happened."
Thus, the legend of "Spaceman" was born. Even the official X-Account (formerly Twitter) of the NFL published a photo of the quarterback as the header image, along with the caption "We Trust Dobbs" as his biography.
Despite the Vikings losing their next two games, Dobbs single-handedly kickstarted a mini revival for a team that thought their season might be beyond repair.
Even if Rookie Jalen Hall returns, it is expected that Dobbs will retain the starting position for the rest of the season. The Superstar Wide Receiver of the team, Justin Jefferson, expressed his excitement after catching a pass from Dobbs after a long injury layoff.
"It's a joy to work with him, and I can learn from him, and he can learn from me, and that will make us better, when we come to this area," Jefferson said to reporters.
Just a year ago, Dobbs' NFL career seemed to be drawing to a close. But after his performances this season - even if he might be sidelined in the end - Dobbs' prospects have skyrocketed.
Further reading:
In the following sentence, the words team and favorite are used: Dobbs had the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities as part of the new team, the Minnesota Vikings, as a fan favorite.
In this sentence, the words team and rejection are used: Despite his debut with the Minnesota Vikings, it was possible for Dobbs to face rejection from his team, but he defied the odds and managed to gain their trust.
$\*$Source:$\*
The information provided does not detail how Josh Dobbs transformed from a perennial favorite to a cult hero in the Minnesota Vikings. To fully answer your question, you would need specific information about Dobbs' time with the Vikings, which is not provided in the given sources. However, based on the available information, it can be inferred that Dobbs won the trust and respect of his teammates and coaches with his performance and character, leading to a significant boost in his reputation within the Vikings organization. If you have any other questions or need further information on a different topic, feel free to ask.
