As has been stated before, the beginning to J.J. McCarthy’s NFL career has been a downright disaster.
Injuries have kept him sidelined for 23 games out of a possible 28 contests. Health aside, the vast majority of his play has been downright atrocious.
J.J. McCarthy is Pacing All-Time Bad
GettyVikings QB J.J. McCarthy has been a wreck for the Minnesota Vikings so far in 2025. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Consider this social media post from Anthony Amico on X:
“J.J. McCarthy now ranks 851 out of 852 in EPA per Dropback among qualified passers since 2000, per Tru Media. The only player below McCarthy is JaMarcus Russell.
h/t @Danny_Heifetz on that other website [The Ringer]”
Additionally, this metric from Wide Left Football’s Arif Hasan:
“When eliminating dropbacks with quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds), J.J. McCarthy’s performance against the Packers this week ranked 344th of 346 QB performances this year in EPA per dropback (-0.813) and 331st in success rate (26.7%).”
And finally, The Purple Persuasion posted another statistic:
“Since 2010, only three 1st-round QBs have had a passer rating under 65 in their first six starts: 1. McCarthy (57.9) 2. Blaine Gabbert (60.3) 3. Zach Wilson (63.5)”.
The Vikings are approaching dangerous levels of incompetence at the quarterback position, as if they aren’t already there.
Things have gotten so bad to the point where many are drawing comparisons of J.J. McCarthy to another quarterback that is infamous in Vikings lore.
Christian Ponder Comparisons Have Begun in Minnesota
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings QB Christian Ponder is now frequently being mentioned in discussions regarding the performance of J.J. McCarthy.
Vikings fans everywhere above the age of 18 know this man and aren’t huge fans. The former Florida State Seminole was the biggest swing the Vikings had ever taken at the QB position in the draft at the time in 2011. Minnesota took him 12th overall, and they obviously went on to swing bigger in 2024 when they committed themselves to J.J. McCarthy.
Christian Ponder, of course, busted big time for these Vikings. His four-year long NFL career saw him throw 38 touchdowns to 36 interceptions. He totaled 6,658 passing yards in 38 games played with a win/loss record of 15-22-1.
McCarthy’s recent play has drawn these comparisons to Ponder from the darkness.
An excerpt from Sports Illustrated by Will Ragatz:
“As noted by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the only other Vikings QB in the last 30 years to throw multiple interceptions in three straight games is Ponder, who did so in October 2012. McCarthy is playing so poorly that comparisons to Ponder — who was a bust as the Vikings’ 12th overall pick in 2011 — are unavoidable.”
Ragatz continued by sharing another post from The Purple Persuasion on X:
“Ponder/McCarthy through first 6 starts
Ponder: 1-5 112/199 56.3% 1,423 Yds 9TDs 8 INTs 21 Sacks
McCarthy: 2-4 86/159 54.1% 929Yds 6TDs 10 INTs 20 Sacks 2 Ru TDs”
The sky is not clearing up at all for these Vikings and their investment in J.J. McCarthy. He continues to not only produce no evidence of progression, but it seriously looks like he’s getting worse.
There’s nothing telling us that McCarthy will get benched in 2025. Therefore, we may continue to assume that he has at least the rest of the season to prove the Minnesota Vikings right about him.
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