J.J. McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft. That was quite an honor. But he received another, more dubious one just a few months later. After an impressive preseason debut, he was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee. The ensuing surgery kept him out for the entire year, making him the only first-round rookie QB in NFL history to miss his whole rookie season due to injury.
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But he’s had a full 12 months to recover, and now McCarthy is operating back at full speed. He looked good enough early in this offseason for head coach Kevin O’Connell and the rest of the Vikings’ brass to put all their eggs in the McCarthy basket heading into the 2025 campaign.
Minnesota had every chance to go another way at QB this year. They chose McCarthy. They could have re-signed Sam Darnold, who threw for 4,319 yards and 35 TDs last year, both fifth in the NFL. But they let him walk.
Aaron Rodgers also seemed to be angling for a chance to play for the Vikings. But once again, they passed. And Stephen A. Smith is questioning their decision to pass on two proven veterans for the untested McCarthy.
“Because of some rookie from Michigan? Who was the first top 10 quarterback drafted that never threw for 3,000 yards in a season? Never rushed for more than 500 yards in a season?… I found myself saying, ‘The faith that you’re showing him, like damn! He has 27 dropbacks in the NFL preseason, that’s it, that’s all you got!’ And you said to hell with everybody else,” a baffled Stephen A. said via First Take.
To back up McCarthy, the Vikings went out and signed Carson Wentz to join the Vikings QB room, which also includes undrafted rookie Max Brosmer out of Minnesota. That’s not exactly a room that will challenge the Michigan product for reps or snaps, so Stephen A. views it as going “all-in” on J.J. McCarthy.
“And I’m like, why? I know he won a National Championship, I know the brother has got a good pedigree. I know he can play… I’m just saying, no experience in the NFL whatsoever, and all of these quarterbacks out there, and Kevin O’Connell is like, ‘Nah, this is the dude. This is our future, NOW.’ And I’m like, really? What is he seeing that none of us has seen?”
"[Sam Darnold] threw 35 touchdowns. … Over 4,300 yards, and you let him walk out the door. … Because of some rookie from Michigan."@stephenasmith on J.J. McCarthy being the most intriguing debut this NFL season 👀 pic.twitter.com/anA2mrdbye
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 3, 2025
It’s clear that head coach Kevin O’Connell, arguably the most highly respected offensive guru and QB whisperer in the game, believes in McCarthy. In early August, he was adamant that the young QB had the skillset to operate the Vikings offense, though he wouldn’t be expected to have it all down by Week 1.
Top wideout Justin Jefferson, who has strategically placed his locker right next to McCarthy’s, has also said that he wants to make sure that McCarthy is “just as confident as I am of him” out on the field.
McCarthy will get his first chance at real NFL regular-season action in a Week 1 divisional battle in primetime against the Chicago Bears … on the road.
