Kevin O’Connell Joins Conversation About J.J. McCarthy’s Arm and The Needed Growth
Ask around. People involved with the NFL — either from inside the league as employees or external to the league as analysts, writers, or fans — have an opinion on J.J. McCarthy’s arm talent.
Recently, Kevin O’Connell offered his two cents on the issue. His opinion should matter more than anyone’s. He is, after all, a former NFL passer who has rightly received a ton of praise for his ability to elevate quarterbacks (which is to say nothing of being the reigning Coach of the Year). When O’Connell speaks on a quarterback, people would be wise to listen.
Kevin O’Connell, J.J. McCarthy, & The Sophomore’s Arm
Turn back the clock a bit. During the summer, the conversation began to shift.
Indeed, the issue was no longer McCarthy’s arm strength, or lack thereof. Rather, the words that began getting tossed into the mix were ones like having touch. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown jumped into the assessment, likening McCarthy to an MLB pitcher who is developing beyond just having a great fastball.
“I think that’s the separator, right?” McCown asks rhetorically. “I believe in Major League Baseball the guys that are starters and elite pitchers are guys that can throw more than one pitch. You have to develop a second or third pitch. And for us it’s kind of the same thing.”
Shift things over to Kevin O’Connell, someone who discussed the sophomore in a recent press conference.
Earlier in the summer, McCarthy could have eased off the ball a bit. “There was definitely some throws where,” O’Connell notes, “the maximum RPMs probably weren’t required.” Not too long afterwards, the head coach shifts into discussing placement. The NFL doesn’t leave as large of a window to put a ball into down the field as when the passer was playing in college.
O’Connell says it’s getting worked on, noting how the team “slowed down the tempo” in practice to help: “I thought J.J. threw the ball really well yesterday in a — it sounds crazy to say — a lower volume day. He’s working on different trajectories.” O’Connell wants to see a good “up-and-down” throw, something he mimicked by creating a curved motion with his hand (maybe not coincidentally, Alec Lewis shared a clip that sees McCarthy do something akin to what the coach describes).
Basically, McCarthy is still a work in progress. Could we really expect any different? The best never stop chasing ways to grow, so observing that McCarthy needs to keep getting better isn’t earth-shattering stuff.
Indeed, the simple reality that McCarthy is working on specific aspects of his game should surprise nobody.
If all goes to plan, J.J. McCarthy is going to be the unquestioned starter for the duration of the 2025 season. Yes, the Vikings will be looking for him to offer solid football on a weekly basis, but they’re nevertheless going to be looking for an upward trajectory throughout these next several months.
Kevin O’Connell, in short, is going to want his passer to be playing his best football as January arrives. Being successful in that ambition could not just involve a playoff spot but also making a bit of noise once there.
