JJ McCarthy is preparing for his NFL debut for the Minnesota Vikings after missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus in his right knee. The 22-year-old quarterback suffered the injury in preseason after throwing just two touchdown passes.
In his third year at the helm, head coach Kevin O’Connell led the Vikings to a 14-3 finish before they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round. Although Sam Darnold earned a Pro Bowl nod, the team is moving on from him as their starting quarterback. Now, the Vikings are placing their trust in their former No. 10 overall pick to take charge of a roster designed to compete for a championship in the NFC.
The spotlight is on the young JJ McCarthy, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Vikings are optimistic about the 22-year-old’s development heading into his first full NFL season.
"Is [J.J. McCarthy] ready to start right now? Probably not. Can he be the first weekend in September? The Vikings believe that he can."@DanGrazianoESPN talks about J.J. McCarthy's development with the Vikings ✍️ pic.twitter.com/5IbHid9DGi
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 23, 2025
“He (McCarthy) looks the way they would expect him to look at this point in his developmental process, and that’s the key thing to understand in this process. As Adam Schefter said, there’s nobody under more pressure (than McCarthy), but they don’t want him to focus on the pressure. They want him to focus on the process. Is he ready to start right now? Probably not. Can he be the first weekend in September? The Vikings believe that he can,” said Graziano.
JJ McCarthy about to lead the Vikings
Selected 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, JJ McCarthy became the first first-round quarterback to miss his entire rookie season due to injury. With Sam Darnold holding the starting job last year, all signs now indicate McCarthy is set to take over as the Vikings’ QB1 this season.
The Vikings expect JJ McCarthy to step in and deliver immediately. He faces a tough schedule, including nine games against 2024 playoff teams. Minnesota is aiming for a postseason return, and the front office believes McCarthy is ready to lead the team, just as he did at Michigan.
McCarthy heads into his first NFL season with a strong supporting cast. He’ll have Justin Jefferson as his primary receiving threat, with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason handling duties in the backfield. The offensive line is expected to be anchored by veterans Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, along with first-round pick Donovan Jackson.
The Vikings are relying on McCarthy to step in and lead the team to a stronger postseason run in 2025.
