It’s been a rollercoaster season for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but if he proved anything in a Week 14 blowout victory, it is that he still has untapped potential as an NFL quarterback.
After a 31-0 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, December 7, the Vikings announced that McCarthy made significant history with his performance.
Completing 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards, three touchdowns and a career-high 129.2 passer rating, McCarthy became “the first Vikings quarterback aged 22 or younger since Tommy Kramer in 1977 to throw for three passing touchdowns in a single game,” the team wrote in a post on X.
McCarthy, who turns 23 in January, was the NFL’s youngest starting quarterback entering the 2025 season.
Despite an impressive season debut against the Chicago Bears, McCarthy had some early-season struggles, throwing 10 interceptions in his first six starts. McCarthy did not turn the ball over for the first time in his career in Week 14.
He still has a long way to go to master and execute Kevin O’Connell’s offense at a high level, but Sunday’s win over the Commanders showed a winning formula to build upon in Minnesota.
JJ McCarthy Issued Stern Warning for Remainder of Vikings Season
At 5-8 with four games left in the season, the Vikings are virtually eliminated from the postseason.
Ironically, a late playoff push and meaningful games in December may have held lesser stakes than what McCarthy may be facing in Minnesota.
Entering Week 14, NFL analyst Chris Broussard appraised McCarthy’s standing with the franchise and found the final stretch of the season to be defining of his future.
“J.J., the rest of this season, you have got to prove that you are the man,“ Broussard said on a December 4 episode of “First Things First.” “That’s all it’s about. It’s similar to Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland. This season is done as far as the playoffs. It’s about you showing Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings that you are their future franchise quarterback.
“Otherwise, is it off the board that Daniel Jones will be a free agent? Is it off the board that they make a lucrative offer to Daniel Jones? I don’t think it’s off the board,” Broussard added. “If J.J. struggles the rest of the season, they may go out—whether it’s Daniel Jones or Mac Jones—and try to make a trade for him or something like that. You could be in Zach Wilson territory if you don’t produce the rest of this season. J.J., I’m pulling for you. I am actually pulling for you.”
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell Weighs in on JJ McCarthy’s Historic Performance
If anyone could be understanding of the challenges McCarthy has faced this season, it’s his coach, Kevin O’Connell.
An advocate for the “quarterback journey,” O’Connell understands the learning process all quarterbacks go through from college to the NFL. While O’Connell has risen through the coaching ranks for getting more out of veteran quarterbacks, his work with younger quarterbacks remains to be realized. McCarthy will be O’Connell’s magnum opus.
After simplifying the offense in Week 14, O’Connell praised McCarthy for his execution of the game plan.
“I think it was a combination of J.J.’s execution [and] staying efficient,” O’Connell said in a postgame news conference. “We had some different looks early on in the game to try to change up some things we’ve done, either personnel-wise or schématically, and just try to get off to a fast start and then get a little momentum in the game, allow our defense to play with the lead, and eventually [and] force some turnovers.
“Then try to see if we can stack on that by just staying the course and protecting the football and playing smart. I do think the situational football is probably not going to be talked about but when you run the football efficiently, that’s great.”
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