The Minnesota Vikings could not be more confident in JJ McCarthy at quarterback, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. McCarthy will be the starter in 2025 in what Fowler described as a “three year window” to win a championship.
This comes on the heels of Aaron Rodgers signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Rodgers had some interest in the Vikings so he could play with head coach Kevin O’Connell. However, the Vikings opted for their second-year man and former No. 10 overall pick out of Michigan.
McCarthy missed the entirety of his rookie season with a knee injury, suffered in the preseason. But with Sam Darnold’s success last year under O’Connell, leading him to a big contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, McCarthy is the guy as Minnesota tries to win a Super Bowl.
“The Minnesota Vikings (were) greatly affected here because they started to roll with JJ McCarthy this offseason,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Rodgers definitely had interest in playing for the Vikings. He was looking at playing for one of those elite type play callers, like Kevin O’Connell, but the Vikings plan is clear for what I’m told, they saw this as a three year window right now to win a championship with a really good quarterback they like on a rookie deal that can build around them with some pieces. They’re going to go for it, without Rodgers officially, now.”
Rodgers might still have something in the tank as he goes to Pittsburgh, but McCarthy is just getting started. From that logic, it’s hard not to blame the Vikings and O’Connell.
While at Michigan, McCarthy ended his career with a national title with the Wolverines in 2023-24. He had 6,226 yards, 49 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 67.6% completion percentage in his career.
McCarthy has a lot of weapons at his disposal, including Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at wide receiver. It’s easy to be confident if you’re McCarthy or O’Connell.
“I feel like it’s more of for the [quarterbacks] than for me,” Jefferson said of building a rapport with McCarthy, via ESPN. “I mean, it really doesn’t matter who’s throwing the ball. As soon as the ball gets close to my face, I’m going to try to catch it. It doesn’t matter how fast the ball is going, the spin of it, or if it’s coming from a lefty or a righty.
“I mean, my job is to catch the ball. So I feel like this is more for the quarterback to see the tempo of the routes, seeing how I run the routes, seeing the different moves that I add on to my routes. And I feel like working with that is more of a quarterback thing than a receiver thing.”
