Home / Sports / Vikings Bet Big on Young QB J.J. McCarthy Ahead of 2025 Season
Vikings Bet Big on Young QB J.J. McCarthy Ahead of 2025 Season
22 Jul
Summary
- Vikings won 14 games in 2024 with QB Sam Darnold, but let him leave in free agency
- Drafted QB J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in 2024, despite his torn meniscus in preseason
- McCarthy impressed Vikings in pre-draft meetings and has had a "phenomenal offseason"
As the Minnesota Vikings gear up for their 2025 training camp, all eyes will be on 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his quest to lead the team to success. The Vikings, who won 14 games last season and earned an incredible Pro Bowl year from quarterback Sam Darnold, have decided to move on from Darnold and place their faith in McCarthy.
The Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, despite the fact that he tore his meniscus in his preseason debut that year. The team was impressed with McCarthy's performance in pre-draft meetings and believed in his potential, even as he missed significant time on the field.
Now, after a "phenomenal offseason" of preparation, McCarthy is poised to take the reins of the Vikings' offense. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has praised the young quarterback's growth, noting that he is now "comfortable in the core foundation of the system" and has "banked a lot of reps" against the team's defense. The focus for McCarthy during training camp will be to translate his offseason progress into consistent performance on the field, as the Vikings challenge him to lead the team to their ultimate goal: a championship.
