Mizutani: J.J. McCarthy Isn’t the Franchise Quarterback the Vikings Promised

Mizutani: J.J. McCarthy isn’t the franchise quarterback the Vikings promised

Let’s hop in a time machine and take a trip back to August 2024. The future looked bright for the Vikings, largely because of how rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was progressing in training camp. Never mind that journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold had been penciled in to be the starter. The growth that McCarthy had put on display was enough to make some wonder whether he could overtake Darnold. The dazzling performance that McCarthy put forth fo…

Asked Point Blank, Kevin O'Connell Refuses to Fully Answer Minnesota's QB Question

Kevin O’Connell has two well-earned reputations. First, he happens to know about quarterbacks. Second, he tends to offer plenty of words while not revealing much. A single answer demonstrates both. After the Week 18 victory over the Packers, Coach O’Connell stepped in front of the Minnesota media. Is he willing to commit the 2026 Vikings to J.J. McCarthy? The answer delves into the growth from the No. 10 selection from the 2024 NFL Draft alongsi…

Vikings Coach and Quarterback Get Put on the Spot with Team's Most Controversial Question

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn ImagesJeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell happens to be quite good at giving voice to a pile of words without communicating much. The same can be said of J.J. McCarthy, the passer who failed in his debut season as the team starter. The Sunday game finished off by a score of 16-3, a margin of 13 points that doesn’t accurately reflect the full extent of Packer impotence (they played all backups). Afterwar…