Justin Jefferson Loudly Endorses a QB1 for Vikings
Justin Jefferson proffered thoughts this week on the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation, and to the surprise of only a few, the phenom playmaker emphatically reaffirmed J.J. McCarthy as his team’s signal-caller.
The Minnesota Vikings may have some quarterback uncertainty at the moment, but Justin Jefferson has no mystery about the QB1’s identity.
McCarthy will return sometime soon from injury, but with Carson Wentz under center, some fans have wondered how quickly Minnesota will act to reinsert McCarthy into the lineup.
J.J. McCarthy Fetches the QB1 Endorsement from Justin Jefferson
It’s really that simple: McCarthy is the QB1.
Justin Jefferson Firmly States that J.J. McCarthy is Minnesota’s QB1
Reporters in London asked Jefferson about McCarthy’s status and role with the club on Thursday. Jefferson replied, “He’s definitely in the mix. He’s in the back of the offense (during practice), making sure he’s getting all of those mental reps. He’s still communicating with the quarterbacks and communicating with C-Wentz about what he sees out there.”
“At the end of the day, he’s still our guy, and he’s still the quarterback that we lean on. So he definitely has to be in there mentally, physically. He definitely can’t sit back and just watch and go through the motions.”
Endorsements don’t get much clearer than that. McCarthy is Jefferson’s guy foremost.
QB Uncertainty His Whole Career
Jefferson went on to say quarterback hopscotch has been present throughout his entire NFL career. If one subtracts his first three seasons, when Kirk Cousins did not miss a game, Jefferson is on to something.
He elaborated, “To be honest, that’s kind of been my whole entire career since I’ve been here. It’s just not really flinching on that type of deal. That’s something that I can’t really control. The only thing that I can control is going out there and catching the ball, winning on my routes, making sure that I’m open for the quarterback to see.”
“So it really doesn’t matter who’s out there throwing the ball. It’s been difficult, just trying to connect with one quarterback and getting that relationship, but at the end of the day, my job is to go out there and catch the ball.”
Quarterbacks in Jefferson’s career:
- 2020: Kirk Cousins
- 2021: Kirk Cousins
- 2022: Kirk Cousins
- 2023: Kirk Cousins | Josh Dobbs | Nick Mullens | Jaren Hall
- 2024: Sam Darnold
- 2025: J.J. McCarthy | Carson Wentz
Putting to Rest Carson Wentz Theories
The importance of Jefferson’s comments? He said nothing about “riding a hot hand” with Wentz, nor did he waver, in general, about McCarthy as the undisputed QB1.
The Vikings have a long, long history of inserting backup quarterbacks into the lineup, only to watch them take off and never relinquish their job. That doesn’t seem to be the case for Wentz, and if Jefferson has it right, McCarthy will be under center before too long.
Jefferson’s remarks didn’t leave much to the imagination. McCarthy’s is the QB1.
McCarthy’s Return Date?
How about the return date? That — is a little mysterious.
Minnesota, for sure, won’t have McCarthy in the lineup for the London game, but after that meeting with Cleveland, the team will embark on a bye. Thereafter, the McCarthy return date chats will take center stage, with some speculating that Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles makes the most sense. Others might argue Week 8 at the Los Angeles Chargers or Week 9 at the Detroit Lions.
If you’re looking for a bye week storyline to monitor for the Vikings, McCarthy’s return date is number one with a bullet.
VikingsWire on Wentz, McCarthy
Andrew Harbaugh at VikingsWire noted this week on the quarterback situation: “Now, the Vikings are 2-2, McCarthy is dealing with an ankle injury, and Carson Wentz is their starter in the meantime. Wentz, in his two games as a starter, has passed for 523 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.”
“All while completing 66.7% of his passes, which has made the offense more consistent. While all of that seems to be positive, it should be a reason for the Vikings, or the fanbase, to pivot away from the long-term plan. When J.J. McCarthy is back, he will have Christian Darrisaw and Jordan Addison to play with, something he has never had.”
Wentz currently ranks 29th of 33 quarterbacks per ESPN’s QBR metric this season.
Harbaugh continued, “We have seen the difference they can make for Wentz, giving them someone of the talent of McCarthy is just going to maximize them more. And even if he struggles, you need to see that before you pass judgment.”
“Enjoy the last week of Wentz as a starter, as it seems we are gearing up for a McCarthy return after the Bye Week in Week 7 when the Vikings play the Philadelphia Eagles.”
And according to Jefferson, there’s not much mystery about the starting quarterback. It’s McCarthy.
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