Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy wants to earn his starting job.
McCarthy, the Vikings’ 2024 first-round pick, showed promise in limited preseason action but tore his meniscus and missed the entire season. With 2024 starter Sam Darnold and backup Daniel Jones both on other teams this year, McCarthy is set to become the team’s full-time starter. Appearing on “Up and Adams“ with Kay Adams on Tuesday, McCarthy said that no one in the Vikings organization has told him he is ”the guy,” and he likes it that way.
“We as ... media found out you’re the guy, the, the guy, recently,“ Adams said. ”When did you know? When did [the Vikings] tell you, or when was that messaged to you?”
“They haven’t told me,” McCarthy replied. “And I’m happy they didn’t, because I try to earn it every single day, and I never want that to be given to me, and it’s such a privilege and opportunity [for them] to give me that chance, and I’m just going to make the most of it every single day.”
Adams was referring to a report by NFL.com that said former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was interested in playing for Minnesota, but the team was not interested in signing him. The team also reportedly rebuffed several trade requests for McCarthy, effectively naming him the projected starter in the process. Rodgers had been connected to the Vikings, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, after the Jets announced plans to release him. The Vikings would have made an interesting fit because, had he signed there, it would have mirrored the career of Rodgers’s mentor, Brett Favre, who played 15 seasons with the Packers, then was traded to the Jets, and ended his career with the Vikings.
After winning the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship at Michigan, McCarthy was drafted by the Vikings with the 10th overall pick. He was the fifth quarterback of six taken in the first 12 picks, which tied the NFL record for most quarterbacks taken in the first round. McCarthy shined in the first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, and adding two carries for 18 yards. The next day, he reported soreness in his right knee and was diagnosed with a full tear of his meniscus. He underwent surgery to repair it, and missed his entire rookie season.
McCarthy’s injury allowed Sam Darnold to start the entire season. Darnold embarked on a career year, completing 361 of 545 passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, all career highs, while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and the playoffs. The Vikings also signed former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones after he was released.
Darnold was always seen as a bridge quarterback by the coaching staff. His career season earned him a three-year, $100 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts and is looking to compete with 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson for the starting job.
McCarthy said he does not yet feel 100 percent recovered but is staying consistent with his rehab. He said the injury was a blessing because it allowed him to establish a routine and spend time around his teammates.
McCarthy said his priority this offseason is building chemistry and spending time with his teammates. “Just get around them as much as I can,” he said. “Just be my authentic self and [try] to form those relationships off the field because that’s what’s going to really matter on the field ... with the new O-linemen coming in this year and being able to get out there, you shoot some skeet, do all that fun stuff up in Minnesota.”
McCarthy also had high praise for superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. “We resonate deeply on that joyful, playful energy,” he said. “Just being out there, having fun. Every time you step on the field, it’s a blessing and an opportunity to be around the best. But when the best treat it like they’ve been treating it all their life, it’s really special, and he’s one of those guys, so it really pays a dividend to how he performs on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays, because he just goes out there and has fun.”
