Vikings Rumors Buzz about J.J. McCarthy’s Award Prediction, Parker Romo, and Jalen Nailor’s Injury
The Minnesota Vikings enter Week 2 on Sunday, squaring off against the Atlanta Falcons in primetime.
Vikings rumors this weekend include J.J. McCarthy’s award forecast, kicker Parker Romo’s new outlook, and wideout Jalen Nailor’s injury update.
But before that, we peek at the purple rumor mill for the week, which is never quiet.
This weekend’s rumors pertain to J.J. McCarthy, Parker Romo, and Jalen Nailor.
Vikings Rumors | September 14th, 2025
The second batch of purple rumors for Week 2.
Rumor: J.J. McCarthy is the favorite to win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year trophy.
ESPN published NFL award predictions after Week 1, and oddly, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy got a shoutout — for Comeback Player of the Year.
Jeremy Fowler explained: “Several star players more accomplished than McCarthy are returning from significant injury and are in line to make a run at the comeback award. But McCarthy enters his first year starting in an ideal situation to maximize his skill set.”
“The Vikings are a playoff contender and believe they can build a Super Bowl-caliber roster with a starting quarterback under the low-cost rookie wage scale. McCarthy also benefits from sitting and watching behind the scenes for a year because of his season-ending knee injury suffered in the 2024 preseason.”
ESPN also tabbed Dallas Cowboys passer Dak Prescott and Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson as top CPoY candidates behind McCarthy.
“Also, any young quarterback should hope to have a top-flight wide receiver (Justin Jefferson) and tight end (T.J. Hockenson) the way McCarthy does. McCarthy already was the pick before Monday night’s win over Chicago, but his three-touchdown second half (two passing, one rushing) to erase an 11-point deficit punctuated his case,” Fowler added.
This one is fair game and certainly a possibility: It’s just a little bit weird because McCarthy had never played an NFL snap before 2025. He’d be “coming back” from nothing … aside from a meniscus tear.
Rumor: Parker Romo is one bad Younghoe Koo outing away from becoming the Atlanta Falcons’ kicker.
Parker Romo is back in the mix of the NFL — a part of the Atlanta Falcons’ roster, a team Minnesota will play on Sunday Night Football.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote this week, “The Falcons are signing kicker Parker Romo to the practice squad, per source. After Younghoe Koo’s critical miss Sunday, Raheem Morris said they’d bring in competition. It’ll be Romo, who was 11-for-12 on field goals in four games last season with Minnesota.”
“Parker Romo was in camp with the Patriots. He was one of several kickers who worked out this morning for Falcons — a list that also included Zane Gonzalez, Michael Badgley and Ben Sauls.”
Romo is just one missed Koo field goal away from getting an audition as the Falcons’ full-time kicker.
Rumor: Jalen Nailor actually broke his hand this summer.
Nailor revealed last week that he broke his hand at joint practices against the New England Patriots in August.
Folks might remember a weeks-long timeframe when it felt like Minnesota was down to breadcrumbs at wide receiver because of Jordan Addison’s incoming suspension, Justin Jefferson’s hamstring injury that prevented him from participating in training camp and the preseason, and Rondale Moore’s season-ending knee injury.
But when Week 1 arrived, Nailor wasn’t listed on the injury report. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio remarked last weekend, “On Monday night, the Vikings won’t be as shorthanded at receiver as the Vikings had feared. Receiver Jalen Nailor has no injury designation on the final report in advance of the Week 1 game at Chicago.”
“It means that he’s good to go, following a mid-August hand injury that coach Kevin O’Connell had described as ‘week to week.’ Nailor was a full participant in practice all week.”
Nailor evidently had a broken hand that healed quite quickly. It’s something to remember as the season progresses.
You must be logged in to post a comment.