Vikings Defender Sends Hype Train to the Moon
Don’t look now, but the Minnesota Vikings may have some semblance of Josh Allen on their hands at quarterback.
Harrison Phillips wasn’t shy about sending the Vikings’ summer hype train all the way to a different planet.
That’s the latest and greatest take from Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, who sent the team’s hype train to the moon this week when he compared J.J. McCarthy to Allen, a former teammate of Phillips.
Naturally, fans reacted favorably.
Harrison Phillips Compares Former Teammate Josh Allen to J.J. McCarthy
The veteran defender wasn’t required to say a damn thing about comparing McCarthy to Allen — but he did it any way.
Phillips said about McCarthy: “I’ve commented before about how he came to me the week after his injury to try to learn more about the defense, asking those great questions. He’s really stepped up in the personal power role this year. In the locker room, I’m constantly seeing him go up to new guys, to new players, dapping each other up, sitting on the couches, and just having conversations. Where last year it was off to rehab, off to meetings.”
“He understands that we have to build a family here and that you can’t have unique results without unique relationships. And then, man, he’s got some confidence. And he reminds me of Josh Allen when I was with him in Buffalo, coming into his own and understanding the power that he has to lead this organization, and he’s doing a fantastic job doing that.”
Quite the endorsement.
Vikings Fans Say “Yes, Please”
Of course, Vikings faithful rejoiced at the juxtaposition.
The team hasn’t successfully drafted a quarterback in 26 years, with Daunte Culpepper — from the 1999 NFL Draft — as the last best example. Teddy Bridgewater, too, showed flashes of promise, but his career took a sharp turn after a brutal 2016 injury.
Therefore, on McCarthy, Allen comps were relished by listeners of Phillips’ comments.
More from Phillips on Vikings’ Offseason
Phillips has actually talked a lot to reporters recently.
He said about the Vikings’ offseason, “It’s exciting when you see the moves that the team has made and see the drive from the top down, from our ownership to our head coach, to our GM, to our coaching staff. The push that they’re showing and confidence in us makes us work even harder in the offseason and makes us want to make our coaches and our fans proud, as well.”
“You hate to be, you know, the one loose chain on the link, and so I feel like our entire team feels that same way.”
He also talked about newcomers Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave lessening his workload — in a good way.
“And you know, the three of us are older players. So, I think anytime that you can go out there, three- to five- to six-play roles, you can really attack with waves. And because of the depth we have, we’ll truly have waves that we can throw in, and also the versatility of the different packages. ‘Hey, this package, we’ve got these three. This package, we have these two. Now we have these four. Now we have just this one,'” Phillips opined.
“You’re able to throw so many different elements and so many players who could play different techniques along the line that I see that overflowing and snap counts evolving over what type of team we’re playing and what type of offense we’re attacking, and whose skill set could be the best strength for that. But yeah, I imagine we’ll share snap counts a little more; I was playing 74 percent of snaps in 2023, and I don’t see that happening.”
McCarthy Gets the Baton
This is it.
The Vikings did not re-sign Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones this offseason. They resisted the temptation to add Aaron Rodgers for a year and haven’t traded for Kirk Cousins as supreme veteran insurance.
Through their actions, the Vikings have implied that McCarthy is “the guy,” and Phillips’ comments accordingly make the upcoming season even more exciting.
NFL.com on Phillips Comparison
NFL.com Kevin Patra added more context on Phillips’ comparison: “Entering his fourth year in Minnesota, Phillips isn’t saying McCarthy is destined to become Allen — and he’s not saying he won’t either. Yet, it takes a specific type of mentality to develop into an elite-level quarterback and leader.”
“Allen entered the NFL with a host of questions. Many thought he’d never develop into what he’s become. Few, if any, have improved their accuracy as much as the Bills passer, underscoring his ability to tweak and enhance every facet of his game. The leadership aspect grew from that ability to improve himself.”
McCarthy will have all summer to prepare for the bright lights of QB1, with no “bridge quarterback” breathing down his neck.
Patra concluded, “Similarly, McCarthy came in with questions about whether he could transition into a difference-making starter after not putting up prolific numbers at Michigan. The Year 1 injury added another set of questions. However, as Phillips noted, McCarthy understands his role as a leader and how to navigate a locker room with veterans who have been around far longer than himself.”
“The jury is still out on what McCarthy looks like on the field, but he seems to understand plenty well how to be a leader. That’s a big part of the job of an NFL quarterback.”
Vikings fans will take any comparison even remotely similar to Allen, considered by most the second-best quarterback in football behind Patrick Mahomes.
Vikings Main Offseason Rumor Has Died
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