The Minnesota Vikings bowed out of the first round of the 2025 NFL playoffs early as Sam Darnold failed to make the connections needed with his skill players to lead the team to victory against the Los Angeles Rams.
The playoff loss changed several fortunes as Darnold ended up in Seattle with coach Mike Macdonald while the Vikings decided to move on with JJ McCarthy as their new leader on offense.
Coming off injury will be a challenge for McCarthy, who only got preseason snaps last season and has a tall task ahead of him in a stacked NFC North division.
On Wednesday, McCarthy's comments on building chemistry with superstar receiver Justin Jefferson were revealed, painting the picture of a quarterback who knows what he must do to take the Vikings' offense up a notch or two this fall. 2
"More reps, the better," McCarthy said about his offseason plan for growing together with Jefferson according to Pro Football Talk in a recent press conference.
"On the field, off the field, as much time as I can spend around him."
Jefferson garnered first-team All-Pro honors last season with Darnold at the helm of the Vikings.
Now, he will have an opportunity to play with a dynamic dual threat quarterback who led Michigan to the national championship before a knee injury cost him his rookie season.
"He's such a phenomenal talent, and once in a generation type talent that it's more just you gotta not adapt your game to him, but you gotta understand like it's going to take reps and reps and reps to feel his routes in and out of the break," McCarthy said of Jefferson.
"But he's just so special, so I just can't wait to get to work with him every single day."
