The Minnesota Vikings have officially moved on from the quarterbacks who featured on their roster last season — including veteran Sam Darnold, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns — and passed on a chance to sign Aaron Rodgers, despite reported interest from the future Hall of Famer.
Why? Because the franchise is placing its faith in J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Fully recovered from a torn meniscus in his right knee, McCarthy met with local media this week for the first time since last fall and sounded every bit the part of a confident young leader.
“I know I’m ready to start,” said McCarthy. “Because of all the work I’ve put in, the confidence in my skills, and just being able to do my job. I’ve got a great coaching staff and teammates who I can lean on — and they can lean on me.”
McCarthy has been cleared for full participation in offseason workouts and said he’s regained the 25–30 pounds lost during recovery. At his lowest point over the winter, he weighed in the high 180s but has since returned to a solid 215 pounds.
Some fans were concerned about his condition last season after TV broadcasts showed a visibly slimmer McCarthy on the sideline. On Tuesday, he explained the weight drop was due to inactivity early in rehab, which led to swelling, a second procedure, and additional rest time.
“The weight loss was just from not moving or working out,” McCarthy said. “I’m someone who needs to train consistently to maintain weight. But I feel like I’m in a good place now.”
Before the injury, McCarthy had impressed during training camp and was showing steady growth. Though Darnold was the presumed Week 1 starter, there remained hope McCarthy could challenge for the job with a full preseason.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell hasn’t yet named McCarthy the starter, but the path is clear. The only other quarterbacks on the roster — Sam Howell, Brett Rypien, and rookie Max Brosmer — aren’t expected to mount a serious challenge.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah confirmed the goal is for McCarthy to start, and McCarthy himself framed it as a personal battle: “It’s a competition with myself… Did I get better today? That’s the focus.”
Photo: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
