J.J. McCarthy Catches Yet Another Stray
If you’re just checking back in with Minnesota Vikings football for the 2026 campaign, know that quarterback J.J. McCarthy has encountered a wretched offseason. The hits keep coming, and last week, one former general manager sized up rookie passer Ty Simpson, projecting him as a career-long backup — like McCarthy.
It’s another stray bullet for McCarthy, who, just a few days ago, caught unexpected shade when a traffic stop video with Dianna Russini insinuated that he “sucked.”
Vikings Training Camp Is Turning into a Confidence Test
Scot McCloughan: Simpson Is a Backup Like McCarthy
McCloughan served as the Washington Commanders’ general manager a decade ago and was the head boss for the San Francisco 49ers in the late-2000s. He said on the Team 980 show last week, “I think the quarterback from Alabama was overdrafted. But it’s the position alone, you know. I think, not being a guru, but he’s like J.J. McCarthy.”
“He’s like former New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. He’s a career backup. Ideally, he might start, but that’s because where his pick was, and they want to prove everybody right. That’s not the way you should build a roster. Not at all.”
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Simpson about two months ago to take over the QB1 baton from Matthew Stafford eventually, and McCloughan evidently thought that was a silly plan.
Brutal, Out-of-Nowhere Assessment
McCarthy missed his first season in the pros with a torn meniscus, and after he healed, the Vikings handed him the QB1 on a silver platter without any serious competition. The result? More injuries — about three of them — and a rollercoaster first act as the QB1.
But McCarthy showed marked improvement down the stretch of 2025, ranking as the NFL’s sixth-best passer from Week 14 through 18 per EPA+CPOE. That momentum took a hit when Minnesota signed Kyler Murray in March, and now McCarthy will fight Murray for the same job this summer at training camp and in the preseason.
For McCloughan to call McCarthy a “backup” is a little bizarre in the summer of 2026. He’s not, at least not yet. The guy was very clearly the Vikings’ starter last year.
McCloughan evidently doesn’t see much of a QB1 future for the youngster.
The Horrible Offseason
McCarthy’s offseason has been a whirlwind, perhaps leaving him wondering whether someone changed the locks on the building.
First, the general manager who drafted him is gone. That’s enough to shake up any young quarterback. After spending his rookie year trying to impress the people who picked you, new leadership is suddenly in charge — the NFL business machine in full motion.
Then, Minnesota brought in Murray, instantly shifting McCarthy from “the future” to “how do you compare to him?” That’s a tough spot for a 23-year-old trying to quietly improve in June. The Vikings also brought back Carson Wentz. While that move might not have caused a huge stir, it added another seasoned voice to an already crowded room.
And somehow, Sam Darnold, the Vikings’ quarterback in 2024 when McCarthy tore his meniscus, winning a Super Bowl got mixed into this strange saga. The guy who left became a national feel-good story, and now McCarthy gets to answer questions in the glow of all that.
Then there was the random jab from Dianna Russini — a bizarre, out-of-nowhere insult that seemed too weird to be true, but certainly made the rounds. Justin Jefferson has also publicly challenged all Vikings quarterbacks to step up this summer. Fair enough, but that’s also a lot of pressure.
So, McCarthy’s offseason hasn’t been a walk in the park. Everywhere he has turned, there’s a new hurdle, including the McCloughan observation.
Up to Him to Prove Everyone Wrong
If McCarthy is a fiery competitor — he seems to be precisely that — he can dismantle every negative narrative and fight back at the aforementioned terrible offseason. Minnesota has not announced a QB1 yet, and, in fact, McCarthy can control his fate and win the job outright in Eagan, starting in three weeks when training camp begins.
He also has an injury-prone quarterback ahead of him on the depth chart: Murray misses about 25% of all games due to injury. Even if Murray wins the QB1 job — most fans and sportsbooks expect that to happen — McCarthy will likely get the opportunity to strut his stuff sometime during the regular season.
It’s a pivotal year for McCarthy. He could regain his footing as the long-term franchise quarterback in Minnesota or become a trade piece by the offseason of 2027. The stakes are sky-high.
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