If J.J. McCarthy wants to be the Minnesota Vikings‘ starting QB, he will need to earn it by beating out Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz. This offseason, the Vikings signed Murray as a free agent and re-signed Wentz to build a competitive, experienced QB room.
Moreover, Minnesota wants to avoid missing the playoffs in the upcoming 2026 NFL season, as their QB play was the main issue last campaign. Ahead of the battle to determine the signal-caller for Week 1, McCarthy received an encouraging message from former Vikings wideout Adam Thielen.
“I just love his mindset,” Thielen said on the April 14 edition of the “Ross Tucker Football Podcast.” “You’re around him for a couple of days and you can feel it. I was able to work with him as a rookie during the offseason when he spent time in Minnesota, and we got the chance to throw and work together a bit.
“Then playing with him, you realize he’s just one of those guys. When you’re around him, you can tell he’s a winner. He understands that competitive edge, that chip on his shoulder, and he carries it with him.”
J.J. McCarthy Knows What He Needs to Improve
Moreover, Thielen notes that McCarthy knows what he needs to work on to improve and become an NFL starting QB, as he must address his weaknesses if he wants to be the guy who comes out on top in this competition to determine the Week 1 starter.
“He’ll be the first to admit there are areas where he needs to improve,” Thielen added. “He’s a young player, and it’s not hard to understand the challenges he’s faced. Being drafted high comes with big expectations, and then getting injured in your first year makes it even tougher.
“When you’re on injured reserve, you’re not around the team in the same way. You’re not practicing, and you’re not getting reps on the field. That’s a lot of missed development time, so he’s had quite a few things working against him.”
Vikings Recently Gave J.J. McCarthy Update
McCarthy put together a 61.8 overall PFF grade during the 2025 season, placing 35th out of 43 qualified quarterbacks. His passing grade was 60.1, ranking 35th at the position.
Across 1,632 snaps played and 291 dropbacks, he totaled 1,632 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He mixed in 19 big-time throws but was also charged with 15 turnover-worthy plays.
Moreover, McCarthy’s average depth of target was 9.5 yards, while he held the ball for an average of 3.01 seconds before throwing. He contributed on the ground as well, picking up 156 scramble yards and scoring four rushing touchdowns, which helped him earn a 71.6 rushing grade, good for 14th among 30 qualified quarterbacks.
After a rollercoaster 2025 season, the Vikings are forcing McCarthy to earn the job, and Kevin Seifert of ESPN shared what head coach Kevin O’Connell said regarding the latest on the young QB’s efforts to do just that.
“Kevin O’Connell said that J.J. McCarthy is back in Minnesota after spending the early part of the offseason training in California, and has been in the building most days working out in the weight room,” Seifert wrote on March 30 on X.
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