Tuesday Was Not a Good Day for J.J. McCarthy
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy had nothing directly to do with it, but his Tuesday was not positive. His head coach and general manager refused to commit to him as the sole QB1 in 2026, his club’s defensive coordinator emerged as a frontrunner for a new job, and one of his top playmakers was arrested in Florida.
Between the non-answer on McCarthy and Addison landing in the headlines again, Tuesday looked like a franchise trying to steady itself while everything wobbled.
It wasn’t a doomsday for McCarthy, but the signals regarding his future trended south.
McCarthy’s 2026 Outlook Turned Murkier Tuesday
A look at McCarthy’s disadvantageous Tuesday.
Vikings Leaders Choose Not to Commit to McCarthy
It was all there for them. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell were separately asked if McCarthy would be the QB1 in 2026. Both danced, opting not to commit to the 22-year-old signal-caller.
O’Connell took the podium first, replying to the question: “I think there has to be competition. That’s what’s going to make everybody better in that room. It’s going to be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition. That should be how our entire organization looks at their individual roles when we compete against each other in the different aspects of the offseason.”
“I ultimately think that’s what will prepare not only the starter but the next guy and the next guy, and we’ve learned we’ve got to get a lot of guys ready to play. And we’ve got to do it with a responsibility of being the best version of our offense.”
Adofo-Mensah, too, was asked about McCarthy as the Week 1 starter in September. And he started talking about his offseason goals.
“I want the Vikings to achieve our goals. And I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs. I think he has the character and ability to be the person to do that. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain area,” the executive responded.
“The way we’ve set this team up, we built this core like we’ve always talked about, to give ourselves multiple shots at it, because you never know when there’s going to be a year where the field feels a little bit wide open, and you can make that run.”
Normally, in a similar situation, a football team’s leaders would offer a stronger endorsement than these — and then later do damage control if the same duo found a QB1 alternative. Instead, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell mentioned quarterback competitions and offseason goals.
This is a long way of saying that the Vikings will very likely sign a free agent like Malik Willis or fire off a swap for a passer like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones — two gettable players via trade.
The One Thing That Made the Vikings Good in 2025 … May Leave
What kept the Vikings afloat in 2025 — to the tune of a winning record after a 4-8 start? The defense.
Brian Flores did it all this season, maintaining a Top 2 defense in 2024 per EPA/Play, as his group checked in at No. 3 in 2025 per the same metric. Fast forward to the current offseason, and Flores’ name has circulated the coaching carousel, fetching a head coaching interview this week with the Baltimore Ravens and alleged interest from the Las Vegas Raiders.
But then Tuesday happened. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin resigned, ending a 19-year run in the AFC North that produced no losing seasons and one Super Bowl ring.
How is this bad for McCarthy? Simple — assume he matures into a franchise quarterback as early as 2026. Well, his defense could take a tumble because its chief might’ve taken a job with the Steelers. Flores is among the frontrunners to replace Tomlin after spending the 2022 season on Pittsburgh’s defensive staff.
Yes, there’s a reality where Minnesota’s offense improves in 2026, with McCarthy as a driving force while the defense regresses into mediocrity or poor play without Flores.
Every young quarterback needs a stealthy-good defense. McCarthy may not have one in 2026 if Flores leaves.
Addison’s Arrest
And then there’s Addison’s shenanigans.
NFL.com‘s Jeremy Bergman wrote Tuesday, “Minnesota Vikings receiver Jordan Addison was arrested Monday morning in Tampa, Florida, on trespassing charges, per Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office records. Addison was apprehended by the Seminole Police Department at 3:46 a.m. at 5223 Orient Road, the address of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. He was charged with misdemeanor trespass in an occupied structure or conveyance.”
“The Vikings WR was booked at 7:33 a.m. and released from jail on $500 bond at 2:40 p.m., per police records. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday at his season-ending news conference that the team was aware of Addison’s arrest.”
It’s the latest strike against Addison, who has been arrested thrice since joining the Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft.
While much may not come from a trespassing charge, Addison’s future with the Vikings took a hit due to his continual knuckleheaded infractions.
McCarthy’s life got more complicated with Addison’s latest legal infraction, especially for a quarterback who needs all the weapons he can find.
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