Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center during 2024 Training Camp. July 26, 2024. The Vikings drafted McCarthy in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 10th overall pick. He takes over for Kirk Cousins.
Current Minnesota Vikings football is all things Christian Darrisaw, Sam Darnold, Justin Jefferson, and T.J. Hockenson, at least for news sake.
But the future is all about J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota’s franchise quarterback nominee, who tore his meniscus in August.
And according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, McCarthy’s recovery is progressing well, a wonderful omen for 2025 and beyond. “Rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy was part of the team’s traveling party for the first time,” Breer wrote Monday.
“He went out to dinner in L.A. with the quarterbacks Wednesday night and was on the headset on the sideline Thursday night. He’ll be with the team going forward, but most of his focus is still on rehab. He’s building strength back now and isn’t yet at the point where it’s 50-50 rehab-to-football work, but he’s getting there.
The Vikings drafted McCarthy six months ago with the 10th overall pick, nominating the Michigan alumnus as the quarterback of the future after Kirk Cousins skedaddled to the Atlanta Falcons in March. McCarthy looked the part in every way, shape, and form in May, June, July, and August — and then tore his meniscus during the first preseason game. Such is life for Vikings fans.
“McCarthy’s done a lot of rehab while his teammates are on the practice field, has participated in meetings and has a one-on-one meeting once a week with O’Connell,” Breer added.
And this is exactly the update folks want to hear about McCarthy. Barring a deep playoff run, Super Bowl appearance, or Super Bowl triumph, Minnesota will likely hand the baton to McCarthy in 2025. Some have speculated that Darnold could return in 2025, but those theories have quieted over the last three weeks.
Vikings head coach spoke positively about McCarthy’s recovery last month, the most recent update from Minnesota’s brass. “He’s doing great. He’s kind of through the early part of that rehab. Now he’s kind of to the point where he’s back in meetings, right alongside Sam Darnold and the other quarterbacks every single day. He’s motoring around the building and he’s got a little cart to get him around the building here and there,” O’Connell said in early September.
O’Connell also had jokes: “He did crash it into my office wall yesterday. No injuries to report, but maybe a little damage from the motorized cart.”
Until McCarthy’s regrettable injury, he and Darnold were neck and neck to determine the Week 1 starter. Some fringe theories claimed McCarthy had done enough at training camp and in the preseason to possibly win the job outright. Others believed Darnold would lead the team for the first few games, no matter what.
McCarthy will turn 22 in January.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.