Most people probably did not notice, given they were eliminated at 4-8, but the Minnesota Vikings finished the 2025 season on a five-game winning streak to salvage a 9-8 record… quietly. That said, many would argue they pulled it off in spite of their young quarterback rather than because of him.
Advertisement
J.J. McCarthy was the fifth of six quarterbacks taken within the first 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, which means he will always be compared to the rest of that class. But right now, those comparisons are not doing him any favors. Outside of Michael Penix Jr., most of his draft peers have already made significant strides in their first two seasons.
McCarthy, meanwhile, still appears to be adjusting to the speed and complexity of the NFL game. Injuries have not helped either, as he has started just 10 games across his first two seasons. That contrast is even sharper when looking at division rival Caleb Williams, whom the Chicago Bears selected first overall and who has taken a big leap in Year 2. Enter Vikings legend Cris Carter.
On his podcast, Carter recently voiced frustration that Minnesota does not already have a difference-maker at quarterback like some of these other teams.
“If you look at some of these second- and third-year quarterbacks coming for next year. Watch out, man. Caleb, Drake Maye, Bo (Nix) in Denver, (Jayden) Daniels in Washington. It’s problems, man. It’s problems. And most of those problems are for my Vikings,” Carter said on his podcast, Fully Loaded.
Williams won the NFC North and a playoff game in his second year. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels went to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie last year. No. 3 Drake Maye and No. 12 Bo Nix both made it to the AFC Championship this year (though Nix won’t play due to injury).
Meanwhile, McCarthy was still figuring out how to stay healthy for more than a month at a time. The chasm growing between the Michigan product and his classmates has Carter worried for his Vikings.
J.J. McCarthy showed very encouraging signs to finish 2025
But there’s no doubt that McCarthy is coming along. And under the tutelage of the respected head coach Kevin O’Connell, that should continue. He’s far better now than he was during that ghastly performance in Week 2, where he threw two picks and fumbled thrice.
Believe it or not, McCarthy actually went 6-4 as Minnesota’s starter this season.
And there was a massive difference in McCarthy’s performances if you compare his first six starts with his final four, after he returned from a one-game absence due to a concussion. It’s like night and day, and if Vikings supporters like Carter looked at these stats, it might change their minds somewhat.
In those first six starts, it was about as ugly as you can get. McCarthy threw six TDs against 10 INTs and fumbled five times, losing one of them. He completed 54.1 percent of his passes for 154.8 yards a game and 5.8 yards per attempt. His 57.9 passer rating was a fireable offense, and his lack of pocket awareness contributed to 3.3 sacks per game. He also ran for 20 yards per game with a pair of TDs.
However, in those final four starts, all of which the Vikings won, McCarthy was not just a game manager. He was actively contributing to victories. During that stretch, McCarthy threw five TDs against just two picks; he also lost one fumble. He was taking better care of the ball.
But McCarthy was also taking more risks. As a result, he completed 64.3 percent of his passes, a massive 10-point jump, and he did so while pushing the ball downfield a lot more, as evidenced by his 8.4 yards per attempt. He also averaged more passing yards (175.8) and ran for another couple of TDs while averaging 15 ground yards per game.
And to top it all off, he nearly doubled his passer rating from those first six starts, putting up a truly elite 100.4 passer rating during those final four games. You have to squint a little bit, but if you do, you can see a path to stardom for Minnesota’s No. 9 if they stick with him one more year.
