After six weeks and five games sidelined with an ankle injury, J.J. McCarthy is primed to step back under center in Week 9, when the Minnesota Vikings will face the Detroit Lions. With that, McCarthy will have an opportunity to prove Lions head coach Dan Campbell right.
McCarthyâs return is partly a decision being made for the Vikings, with Carson Wentz out for the season due to a shoulder injury.
Still, their Week 1 starter made a strong impression on Campbell.
Dan Campbell Knows âAll I Need to Knowâ About J.J. McCarthy Before Lions-Vikings
Patrick McDermott/GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts on the sideline during the game against the Chicago Bears.
This will be the first time Campbell and the Lions see this version of the Vikings, and their first time facing McCarthy, who missed his rookie season with a knee injury.
Still, the coach lauded the quarterback for what he has shown.
âI guess â Well, I know this: You watch Chicago, and what he did. Had it a little bit rough there early, right? Throws the pick, then all of a sudden, man, he comes rushing back. And it â you just see the poise, and the confidence, and his ability to overcome that, and, really, lead them to a win. Thatâs impressive for a young guy,â Campbell told reporters on October 28.
âThat kind of tells me all I need to know. I know what the talent is. Iâve seen it. So, theyâre going to do what they need to do to help him out and try to reduce the stress. Take as much off his plate, but yet, allow him to do things he does well.â
Campbell got to see McCarthy plenty of times when the QB was in college at Michigan, including leading them to a national championship in 2023.
Campbell also knows just how dangerous the rest of the Vikingsâ roster around McCarthy is.
Lions HC Praises Vikingsâ Playmakers
GettyJustin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers.
McCarthy has completed 58.5% of his passes for 301 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions for the Vikings this season. He has 50 yards and 1 TD on seven carries. In his return, Campbell expects the Vikings to rely on their playmakers like Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones.
â18 is a catalyst. 18 is a catalyst. Jones is a hell of a back,â Campbell said. âTheyâre going to find ways. They want to try to establish the run, screen game, get it to 18, get this kid on the move.
âTheyâre going to do a hell of a job. Theyâll have a good plan ready, and so will we.â
How much the Vikings expose McCarthy will likely depend on the flow of the game. Their only other quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie free agent Max Brosmer, who has the utmost confidence of the Vikingsâ coaching staff but is even less experienced than McCarthy.
Facing a Lions team that ranks third in scoring offense and eighth overall on that side of the ball, McCarthy needs the Vikingsâ 18th-ranked scoring defense (26th overall) to step up.
Vikings on Trade Watch Before Deadline
GettyMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Vikings are a team some have their eyes on before the 2025 trade deadline, particularly for a move to add an experienced QB behind McCarthy and, apparently, Brosmer.
âEven if the Vikings add a third QB in the coming days, Kevin OâConnell said that Max Brosmer will be the No. 2 behind J.J. McCarthy following Carson Wentzâs season-ending surgery,â ESPNâs Kevin Seifert noted on X on October 28.
That does not mean a deal will not happen, just that it could be relatively minor.
The Vikings traded up to select McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, and they remain committed to his development.
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