The NFL has its eyes on Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy -- for better or worse.
National pundits have grandstanded their concerns about the Vikings' quarterback situation since the early days of Kirk Cousins' tenure.
Their questions are not unfounded. Few teams have true stability at the game's most important position.
The Vikings are no exception, failing to make it past the first round of the playoffs since the 2019 season.
But with the narrative flipped from "How can Sam Darnold replace Kirk Cousins?" to "How could the Vikings let Sam Darnold go?" in a year, the pressure is on McCarthy, coming off meniscus surgery, to prove the Vikings right to move on from both veteran quarterbacks.
The NFL has done McCarthy no favors, ramping up a gauntlet for the 22-year-old quarterback right out of the gate.
Upon the release of the NFL's 2025 season schedule, the Vikings are scheduled to have seven nationally-televised games, putting McCarthy in the limelight early and often.
McCarthy is poised to make his first two starts on primetime television against the Chicago Bears (Week 1) and Atlanta Falcons (Week 2). The 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, McCarthy will be compared to fellow 2024 draftees Caleb Williams (selected No. 1 overall) and Michael Penix (No. 8), both of whom have a full season of NFL experience over McCarthy.
It doesn't get any easier with a duel against Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow slated for Week 3.
Then, the Vikings go across the pond for two weeks, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, in Week 4 and the Cleveland Browns in London, England, in Week 5. Both international games will be stand-alone broadcasts on NFL Network.
A Week 6 bye will be a brief reprieve for McCarthy before the Vikings face the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, followed by a Thursday night primetime matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Oh, after that? The Vikings enter the prime of what is expected to be one of the toughest divisional schedules in the league in Week 8, starting with the Detroit Lions.
McCarthy's baptism by fire will be widely watched in the first two months of the season. He'll surely take his bumps and bruises.
Hopefully, by midseason, he will be up to speed and capable of leading the Vikings to back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 2009.
Here is the Vikings' full schedule below (times listed are CT):
- Week 1: at Chicago Bears (Monday Night Football, 9/8, 7:15 p.m., ESPN)
- Week 2: Atlanta Falcons (Sunday Night Football, 9/14, 7:20 p.m., NBC)
- Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals (9/21, 12 p.m., CBS)
- Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers (in Dublin, 9/28, 8:30 a.m., NFLN)
- Week 5: at Cleveland Browns (in London, 10/5, 8:30 a.m., NFLN)
- Week 6: BYE WEEK
- Week 7: Philadelphia Eagles (10/19, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 8: at Los Angeles Chargers (Thursday Night Football, 10/23, Prime Video)
- Week 9: at Detroit Lions (11/2, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 10: Baltimore Ravens (11/9, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 11: Chicago Bears (11/16, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 12: at Green Bay Packers (11/23, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 13: at Seattle Seahawks (11/30, 3:05 p.m., FOX)
- Week 14: Washington Commanders (12/7, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 15: at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday Night Football, 12/14, 7:20 p.m., NBC)
- Week 16: at New York Giants (12/21, 12 p.m., FOX)
- Week 17: Detroit Lions (Christmas Day, Thursday 12/25, 3:30 p.m., Netflix)
- Week 18: Green Bay Packers (1/4, TBD)
