Small Glimpses of J.J. McCarthy as the QB Battle Nears
QB J.J. McCarthy is preparing for a tough battle, a head-to-head competition with Kyler Murray to be the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
But while everyone knows what’s coming, Mr. McCarthy hasn’t been front and center, not in the way he was last offseason. The sense one gets is that he has been hard at work, chipping away at his craft away from the spotlight. Seeing a few updates online therefore function as a rare glimpse into what McCarthy has been up to in recent months.
J.J. McCarthy in Small Glimpses Online
Mr. McCarthy has largely been hidden during the 2026 offseason.
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Prior to stepping away from work, McCarthy chatted with the Minnesota media, clarifying his take on whether he did enough to remain as the top option: “But tomorrow there’s nothing promised and the next day there’s nothing promised. That’s something that I take very seriously. It’s not something that you buy and you get for the rest of your life; you rent it, you lease it every single day.”
Wise words from the young fella, a third-year quarterback who is only 23 and who has only played in ten NFL games. No matter what, his experience is going to increase. What remains to be seen is if he grabs more experience while holding a tablet on the bench or while he’s taking the snap under center (whoever that center ends up being).
What we have seen out of J.J. McCarthy have been moments of passion at sports games. Check him out at the Wild playoff game:
In the past, McCarthy has discussed his fondness for hockey, a sport he played while growing up. Go ahead and watch him in the video above. Clearly, his passion for sport isn’t lacking.
So, too, was he spotted playing catch with Jack Hughes prior to the New Jersey Devils hockey player tossing out the first pitch. Again, McCarthy is hovering around sport.
And then he was seen on the zoom call with recent draftee Max Bredeson. Yet again, McCarthy was animated and hyped up, an attribute that endears himself to his teammates (and likely some fans, too).
Do any of these things matter? In a lot of ways, the answer is a clear, definitive “no.” But then there’s another angle that could be of some importance, if only in a minor way.
J.J. McCarthy remains enmeshed in the sports landscape in the Twin Cities. That does matter. As the face of the franchise, McCarthy is entrusted with representing the team on and off the field. Going wild at Wild games (pun intended) is a good thing, the sort of action that makes him easy to cheer for among sports fans in the area.
Likewise, being well-liked by teammates does matter. Again, think leadership. It helps when someone is pleasant to be around. It helps when a young lad can rally veterans.
Most important, of course, is what takes place on the field. J.J. McCarthy hasn’t yet done good enough in that area, leading to a quiet offseason where he has been working behind the scenes. First, that was out in California with a private quarterback coach. Second, there was a return to Minnesota to build his body.
Refining his technique (the California portion) while working toward lasting health (the Twin Cities workout portion) need to combine with the obvious charm and charisma (being passionate at a hockey game, celebrating a fullback being picked) to become the long-term QB1 for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings’ rookie minicamp begins today.
