Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy put any questions about his leadership to rest at training camp on Saturday.
After several days of intense padded practices where Brian Flores’ defense bullied the offense last week, McCarthy sparked a skirmish on the field that ignited the entire roster.
Running back Aaron Jones had taken several big hits during a period of practice, including a shot from linebacker Brian Asamoah who later threw a punch at the offensive line confronting him about the hit.
On a later play, undrafted rookie Tyler Batty broke free unblocked to the backfield and hit Jones at the point of the hand off and took Jones to the ground.
McCarthy didn’t even blink.
The 22-year-old quarterback, taken over by his hockey instincts, pounced on Batty and gave him a big shove, sparking a skirmish on the field as the offense and defensive groups ran to the center of the play for extracuricculars.
“This will become JJ McCarthy lore if he takes them where the Vikings are trying to go,” Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller said on Saturday, August 2.
“What McCarthy did today was something that I’ve never seen a quarterback in a practice do. I have seen guys go too far with physical play. I’ve seen coaches get upset. I’ve seen players throw blows. but for J.J. McCarthy to get in the face of another player and put hands on another player was something that I did not expect to see,” Coller said, adding that he has seen quarterbacks get after somebody their size, but rarely a 6-foot-5, 270-pound linebacker like Batty.
Vikings Captain Reacts to J.J. McCarthy Scrum
While the moment was a boiling point for the roster, the aftermath showed this was the moment that gives a team an edge entering the season. Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was fist-pumping on the sidelines after the play, as it seems McCarthy won some major points with one of the defense’s leaders.
“I looked at Jonathan Greenard and he was basically fist pumping, like he loved it,” Coller said. “He loved what was going on, that the competitiveness of this team has been taken up a notch.”
McCarthy also put forth one of his best performances in practice yet after the altercation.
J.J. McCarthy Puts it All Together for Vikings After Scrum
In preparing for the season, Flores has made practices a nightmare for Vikings quarterbacks the past few years.
The defense has busted plays before they can even develop, but as the defense has continued to push the offense it has become a hindrance for McCarthy’s development if he cannot see a play through without scrambling or dumping the ball off.
But on Saturday, the offensive hit back, and McCarthy responded with his best day yet, according to Coller.
“Honestly, I think that the defense has been pushing it a little bit on the edge for the entire training camp and today felt like the offense got a little bit tired of all that and pushed back,” he said. “But if the offense had pushed back and there had been pushing and shoving and everything else and they weren’t good, then none of this would really matter for them. It would kind of make them look silly. But this was also paired with JJ McCarthy’s best practice of the year from start to finish.
“Today was the day that McCarthy had all the throws in his bag,” Coller added, detailing several highlight-worthy throws that highlighted McCarthy’s touch, arm strength and accuracy on his show.
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