It hasn’t been a particularly good year for Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy, but his star receiver is keeping the faith. Justin Jefferson gave McCarthy a vote of confidence Wednesday, saying the second-year quarterback is I’m still acclimating to the NFL.according to ESPN.
Jefferson pointed out that this is essentially McCarthy’s rookie season after missing 2024 with a knee injury. Because of this, it will take time for McCarthy to adjust to the game, according to Jefferson.
“It’s early,” Jefferson said. “He’s new to the game. He’s new to the NFL. He’s learning like everyone has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously had to go through the mental stage of having to overcome an injury the first year. So it’s just a tough transition for him. But I feel like him learning these last two games, and obviously (during) this season’s game, I feel like he’s going to bounce back in a different way than everyone is going to think.”
McCarthy’s transition has been difficult. In six games, the second-year pro has thrown six touchdowns against 10 interceptions. His 54.1 completion percentage and 5.8 yards per attempt are both among the worst in the NFL.
Advertisement
McCarthy didn’t have much stability after being drafted by the Vikings with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While early reports from training camp were encouraging, McCarthy suffered a knee injury, missing his entire rookie season after undergo multiple surgeries.
With the departure of Sam Darnold in free agency, McCarthy assumed the starting role for the Vikings heading into his second season. It wasn’t easy. McCarthy injured his ankle in Week 2, forcing him to miss five games. As the Vikings prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13, McCarthy finds himself in the NFL Concussion Protocol. He participated in a limited practice on Wednesday, which is perhaps a sign that he will be ready to play on Sunday.
While it’s too early to make any definitive statements about McCarthy’s NFL future, his injury in his rookie year puts more pressure on the second-year pro to turn things around quickly. Barring a massive turnaround, the Vikings will likely enter McCarthy’s third year not knowing if he can be the team’s future at the position.
Advertisement
That’s rarely a good sign, and the Vikings might be forced to address the situation much sooner than expected if McCarthy doesn’t show something down the stretch.
