Former Vikings QB Tommy Kramer Pounds the Table for You Know Who
Minnesota Vikings fans are quite upset about the quarterback position, frustrated that Carson Wentz isn’t very productive, Max Brosmer doesn’t get a chance, and J.J. McCarthy has a high ankle sprain. But unprompted this week, former Vikings signal-caller Tommy Kramer offered an emphatic endorsement for McCarthy, declaring on social media that McCarthy will be a great quarterback in the long run.
Tommy Kramer, who quarterbacked the Vikings in the 1980s, wasn’t shy about sounding off his opinion on one particular player this week.
Some haven’t had patience for McCarthy’s injury recovery and overall development. Kramer disagrees.
Tommy Kramer Goes to Bat for Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
Give it time, says Kramer.
Vikings QB1 Picks up Endorsement from … ex-Vikings QB
McCarthy hasn’t played since Week 2, recovering from the high ankle sprain. Some onlookers don’t believe high ankle sprains should take that long to recover, while others have speculated that the Vikings, as an organization, created the injury out of thin air — a fake ailment to give the team cover for a “soft benching.” The latter theory has been repeatedly debunked, but in recent American culture over the last nine years, the truth is often set aside if one prefers a different narrative.
And with uncertainty about McCarthy’s production looming, along with former Vikings quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones playing well in Seattle and Indianapolis, respectively, Kramer used the X app to endorse McCarthy, in addition to applauding Darnold and Jones.
“It’s nice to see Darnold and Jones playing well. Vikings did the right thing, JJ is going to be a great NFL QB, need to get our line healthy and JJ some reps. He has a lot to learn, it’s going to take some time, but it will be worth it,” Kramer, 70, tweeted.
Kramer doesn’t necessarily tweet endorsements for every Vikings quarterback, so the remarks are noteworthy.
Fans Antsy about McCarthy
McCarthy is recovering from a high ankle sprain, and in a bizarre turn of events, some Vikings fans simply don’t understand it or suspect a broader conspiracy is afoot.
A “regular” ankle sprain can take a week or two to heal fully. A high ankle sprain, on average, takes four to six weeks — often longer. The crowd that doesn’t fathom McCarthy’s “delay” or believes in “soft benching” shenanigans has seemingly failed to distinguish the difference.
It’s the only thing that makes sense to explain the dimwitted reaction to McCarthy’s recovery.
So, in some ways, Kramer’s tweet felt like a mechanism to lower the temperature, as fans have grown antsy watching Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones perform well each week, with McCarthy sidelined.
Another Round of Carson Wentz in Week 8
Without McCarthy, Minnesota has nominated Wentz for another go-round this week. Wentz will suit up against the Los Angeles Chargers and hope to exit the potential end of his QB1 stint with a 3-2 team record.
Wentz struggled last weekend against the Eagles, authoring too many errors and turnovers — and arguably costing the Vikings a win. The poor performance is also relevant because every time Wentz flounders, the same antsy fans get mad all over again about McCarthy’s high ankle sprain.
It’s a vicious cycle.
Indeed, McCarthy Is about the Long Term
Kramer is correct.
The Vikings drafted McCarthy to lead the team in 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, and perhaps beyond. He is not a one-season solution, so when the man struggled like he did in Week 2, for example, his second career game, the coaching staff wouldn’t bench him or write him off a lost cause.
Quarterback development takes years, not weeks or months. Kramer recognized it, experienced it himself with the same team, and subsequently tweeted about it.
The Vikings need McCarthy to be good in the middle of 2026 and in the middle of 2027. If he plays well upon returning to the lineup this season, that is merely a perk.
SI.com on McCarthy
Chris Wassel opined on McCarthy this week, “Several things were working against McCarthy returning this week. One of the first criteria was could he be 100%. That was answered on Monday. It was revealed that Kevin O’Connell was not fully sure the quarterback could be ready by Thursday. By earlier today, it was apparent that McCarthy was not going to be ready by Thursday.”
“Keep in mind, Minnesota has been adamant that McCarthy will not start until he is absolutely 100% recovered from the high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. By early this afternoon, the decision was made. What may be lost in all of this is that fans want McCarthy to play to see what they have in the young quarterback. Simply, he is not ready in more ways than one. It is hard to make the necessary adjustments needed when one is not fully healthy. Yes, McCarthy is practicing and he is progressing but that progress did not come fast enough.”
McCarthy could be under center — finally — in 11 days when Minnesota travels to Detroit.
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