Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy had a rollercoaster second season in the NFL, navigating injuries and the ups and downs that come with being a young signal-caller. Moreover, while the 2025 NFL season was McCarthy’s second, it was really his rookie season after missing the entire 2024 season.
Despite the hurdles that McCarthy had to overcome last season, he didn’t lose the dressing room, even when the team was multiple games under .500.
On the May 7 edition of “Green Light with Chris Long,” Vikings‘ Brian O’Neill shared that the team backed McCarthy even when the player and the team were struggling during the 2025 campaign.
“We were 4-8 at one point last year,” O’Neill said. “We rattled off five straight. Guys believe in [McCarthy], and guys wanted us to figure it out and be better as an offense. There were times our defense was rolling last year, and we relied on them heavily.
“The whole locker room was super tight through the entire process of growing, getting better, and going through growing pains. So, we love him. We’re always at his house, and I love that kid.”
Last season, the Vikings QB recorded a 61.8 overall PFF grade. Moreover, across 291 dropbacks, McCarthy threw for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, including 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.
McCarthy also made plays with his legs during the previous campaign for Minnesota, registering 156 scramble yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Deserves a Larger Sample Size
While the NFL is a win-now league, and if there’s no production, players quickly get replaced, O’Neill feels that judging McCarthy after only 10 games played feels unfair.
“If I was judged after my first 10 games in the NFL, I wouldn’t be playing right now,” O’Neill added. “There’s a part of it where it’s like, it’s still so fresh [for McCarthy]. He’s only going to continue to get better, and the whole attitude from us was how do we all go there as an offense together.
“If you hear the term ‘lose the locker room,‘ he had the locker room more than anybody I’d seen ever. You want to root for him, you want to do well, and you want him to keep taking those next steps.”
J.J. McCarthy Gets Blunt Advise Before QB Battle
Ahead of the QB battle to determine the Vikings’ starter, QB guru and former NFL player John Beck shared his advice for McCarthy as he looks to beat out former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, who is the favorite to win the competition.
“He’s done a great job this offseason of putting his mind in the right frame and working the right way, focusing on the things he needs to improve,“ Beck said on the April 21 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show.“ “What J.J. needs to do is just focus on himself. They brought Kyler in, and who knows what’s going to happen?
“It’s going to be a storyline in Minnesota and around the league throughout the offseason, but he should let that be and concentrate on what he can control.
“J.J. takes pride in his mindset and his ability to manage emotions… Now he’s going to step out each day in practice, and he’ll be in a quarterback competition, and maybe they make Kyler the starter. All he’s going to focus on is being the very best J.J. he can be.”
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