The Season Is Over for J.J. McCarthy
The Minnesota Vikings have been on the receiving end of devastating news in the past couple of months, and they just don’t stop. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy reported knee soreness on Monday, two days after the team’s first preseason contest. One day later, head coach Kevin O’Connell released the tragic update: a torn meniscus in the right knee requires surgery.
The Season Is Over for J.J. McCarthy
As if that is not bad enough, Wednesday’s update is another bummer.
The medical staff had two options. A meniscus trim would sideline the tenth overall pick for a month and change, while a full meniscus repair would range between four and six months.
Unfortunately, the surgery revealed that the repair is necessary, and the 21-year-old will miss the entire 2024 campaign, O’Connell announced on Wednesday.
McCarthy flashed impressive skills in his only preseason contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns after some early struggles. He showcased the intriguing physical tools and the mental capability to bounce back from mistakes.
He once again needs that ability to overcome adversity, recovering from the torn meniscus while still attacking the rehab with patience.
The Vikings need the passer as a future building block rather than a contributor in 2024. For that reason, the long-term recovery makes sense to ensure a long career instead of a quick recovery with knee problems down the road.
McCarthy should be expected to make a full recovery for the 2025 season, and he will likely be the team’s starter. Unfortunately, the future of the franchise will miss games and the essential reps on the practice field.
On the bright side, he should be perfectly comfortable with the playbook next season, and he can participate in meetings all season while getting the play calls on the sidelines and seeing Darnold execute them. Those mental reps will help him in his preparation for the 2025 campaign.
From now on, veteran Darnold will guide O’Connell’s offense. Having the head coach in his corner will give him an advantage over his previous stints as a starter, where he didn’t quite have the coaching and the overall supporting cast he has at his disposal in Minnesota.
Throwing passes to Justin Jefferson is the dream of any quarterback, and he will bring his wingmen Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson (after his return from the ACL tear). The offensive line is an above-average group, especially if the interior can hold up, and the rushing attack should be improved with Aaron Jones carrying the rock.
Darnold has thrown for 63 touchdowns in 56 career games and he has drawn some praise in the few weeks of training camp. A couple of his eight preseason passes also revealed some talent. The former third-overall pick hopes to turn his career around. Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield have shown the path in the last two seasons.
McCarthy is still only 21 years old and has shown enormous potential. The future is still bright for the Michigan prospect and the Vikings.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt