Cris Carter Ripped for Controversial Vikings Take
Keep his name out ya mouth: that’s the message from one of J.J. McCarthy’s former coaches to Cris Carter, a Hall of Famer and retired Minnesota Vikings wide receiver. Carter criticized McCarthy’s performance last weekend, and Greg Holcomb was not impressed.
Cris Carter was ripped this week for a controversial Minnesota Vikings take that’s drawing heavy pushback and igniting a fresh round of fan debate.
In-fighting between camps with similar Vikings interests sums up the arc of the season to date.
Cris Carter Called a Clown
It’s a classic social media feud.
Ex-J.J. McCarthy Coach Says Cris Carter Is a Clown
Former NFLer Emmanuel Acho praised McCarthy on Sunday afternoon for leading a game-winning drive that didn’t quite work out because Minnesota’s special teams collapsed at the most critical moment. Acho gassed up McCarthy, insisting his bounceback moxie from an otherwise awful game was commendable.
Carter disagreed, tweeting, “Did you watch the first 59 mins? 👎🏾.”
Then, the guy who coached McCarthy in 7th Grade found Carter’s tweet — and teed off.
Holcomb replied, “F’kn clown 🤡.”
Of course, Holcomb took heat from Vikings fans, as Carter is revered. One account remarked, “Ratio of the year I wasn’t expecting. We understand your connection to McCarthy bro. But going at one of the best WRs this team has even seen for criticizing what was 59 minutes of JJs worst play this year is completely valid. Would McCarthy say something like this?! Absolutely not.”
Another: “The Vikings Hall of Fame Wide Receiver can point out that McCarthy is struggling mightily. It’s not his fault you and the Michigan/Vikings coaching staff didn’t focus enough on super baseline QB stuff when coaching him up.”
Just a total mess.
A Bizarre Feud
Consider the situation here: The Vikings front office spent big money — over $300 million — in free agency to push for a Super Bowl in 2025. Consider Carter’s role as a Vikings ambassador and a Hall of Famer.
And then consider that a beloved Vikings + Hall of Famer is feuding with the would-be franchise quarterback’s middle school coach on the internet, mainly because the quarterback is struggling and the Super Bowl-aspiring team has a 4-6 record.
It’s the stuff of a football fan’s nightmare. Almost likely a comedy gag.
Carter Is Right about McCarthy’s Struggles
One thing is certain: Carter might have been better keeping his tweet in Drafts — but the man wasn’t wrong. McCarthy played terribly through 3.8 quarters — some fans called it a Josh Freeman game redux — only to get smoldering hot when the game hit crunchtime.
The Bears’ defense is also statistically terrible, meaning a normal good team — not the Bears — might have blown the doors off Minnesota because of McCarthy’s ineptitude.
Holcomb Is Probably Right about Patience
Meanwhile, McCarthy is Holcomb’s guy. He’s not a lifelong Vikings fan and probably doesn’t give a damn about Carter. He’s defending his player and thought Carter’s insult was out of line.
Holcomb basically played the father role, using social media to deflect the heat aimed at his former pupil. Both parties probably could’ve just stayed quiet, but this is the Digital Age, and that’s not really a thing.
If McCarthy does turn the corner into a franchise quarterback — Minnesota really, really needs that to happen — Holcomb will have some receipts, that’s for sure.
More from Carter
Carter also said about McCarthy on KFAN this week, “He’s a quarterback that has some athleticism, but on Sunday, none of that was utilized. I see a guy that the game, sometimes, is faster than him. I see a guy that, sometimes, he shortens his drop and doesn’t get deep enough and patient enough that, then he’s trying to catch up and throw the football, and typically it makes the ball sail.”
“Sometimes his elbow is too low. The fundamentals in the pocket, all those things are real. I do enjoy watching quarterback play, but right now, he looks like almost any other first-rounder to play five games, start in five games. At this point, even on your fifth start, there are some simple things that you should be able to do and not struggle.”
Debates and discussions about McCarthy’s development have utterly taken over everything Vikings-related. It’s almost as if there are no other storylines.
Carted continued, “Yesterday, Kevin O’Connell was trying to give him some easy things to do, and he couldn’t even do those. It’s not only J.J. I compare J.J. to every other quarterback, every other journeyman that’s been in KOC’s system… the quarterbacks, all of them have performed at a higher rate, completion-wise, than J.J. All of them. Josh Dobbs. All of them. That plays a role, but the good players, the game slows down.”
“The game has not slowed down for him. At some point, the game will slow down, or at some point, he won’t be that good. One of those two things is going to happen.”
McCarthy will get a chance to let the game slow down this Sunday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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