The Latest Scoop on J.J. McCarthy Is Good News

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) under center against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of another huge offseason for the future of the organization. Last year, they made the transition from Kirk Cousins to the duo of Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy. This time, they need to figure out if they want to keep that duo together or just roll with their 2024 tenth-overall pick.

The Latest Scoop on J.J. McCarthy Is Good News

j.j. mccarthy
Aug 2, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and quarterback Sam Darnold (14) warm up during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, MN. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Countless aspects could sway the decision one way or another, like Darnold’s asking price, but perhaps the most significant element is McCarthy’s knee. He suffered a torn meniscus in his first and, to date, only game action for the Vikings and required season-ending surgery.

Unless a team comes out and broadcasts the recovery timeline, all people on the outside can do is speculate. The good news, however, is that the young passer seems to be on his way to fully returning way ahead of the offseason training programs.

On Monday, Albert Breer (SI.com) appeared on the Rich Eisen Show, and his words were quite encouraging. Asked about whether the Vikings will move forward with McCarthy no matter the situation with Darnold, Breer said:

“I don’t think it’s a no matter what thing yet. It would say this, though: [JJ McCarthy] is ahead of schedule. He is able to do just about everything now. The second surgery was really just a cleanup, and he’s going to have a full offseason. So, he is not going to be limited by anything this offseason.”

NFL: Minnesota Vikings Training Camp
Aug 3, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, MN. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Breer suggests that he can fully practice now. Of course, there are no team practices going on at this time, but he can work on the field to craft his skills, which surely will include work on his throwing motion, something the team emphasized prior to his injury.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the same thing at his season-ending presser: “He’s on the field, throwing and training,” Adofo-Mensah communicated. “He looks great. You talk about a kid who’s just obsessed with football and loves being around the game. We’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited about this offseason for him.”

That physical development was put on pause when his injury occurred, but the mental work never stopped.

“Now, there’s still a little bit of a leap of faith, and he did lose four or five months of development time, but he was very locked into every part of the football operation that he could be a part of,” Breer explained. “When they went out to practice, he would do his rehab work and all the stuff that was in the building he was a part of. He was in the quarterback room pretty much all the way through. He started traveling again with the team on their trip to Los Angeles in October so he could be around the team for their gameday operation. He’s doing everything he can to put himself in a position to play in 2025 and start in 2025.”

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks to pass during the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

McCarthy has always been praised for his maturity and his desire to be great, so it’s hardly surprising that he has aced this part of his recovery.

“J.J.’s checked a lot of boxes, and I can say they’d be comfortable with him as their starting quarterback in 2025. That does not mean they are kicking Sam Darnold out the door, but I do think it gives them a lot more flexibility in the way they handle Sam’s situation over the next couple of months.”

One thing has become clear ever since the Vikings pulled the trigger just over nine months ago to bring the national champion to the Twin Cities: The entire franchise loves the former Wolverine.

Breer added that McCarthy was improving quickly in training camp and had a wonderful preseason game. He was closing the gap to Darnold and made it an actual competition. Considering how well Darnold played for the most part in the following season, it’s fair to assume McCarthy would do well if inserted into the lineup in Week 1.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) react after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Once the Vikings hand him the keys, he will have the luxury of throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. T.J. Hockenson will also be back in full health. The biggest advantage he has, however, is that Kevin O’Connell will be in his ear, and the head coach has shown the ability to give his quarterbacks confidence and mentor them to get the best out of them.

O’Connell said after informing folks about his injury: “As our fans either have already come to find out or will in the future, this guy is so motivated and so dialed in. As excited as I was to draft him, he’s confirmed everything that I hoped to see. Our fan base and everyone should be excited about the fact that we’ve got our young franchise quarterback in the building.”

McCarthy just turned 22 and is the frontrunner to take Minnesota’s first snap in the 2025 campaign.


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