Many words were used to describe the Minnesota Vikings‘ decision to move off a 14-win, Pro Bowl quarterback in Sam Darnold and hand the keys over to 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy.
Absurd. Unproven. Unknown.
But after just one week, the tone has changed dramatically.
Chicago Bears fans are catastrophizing Caleb Williams‘ situation after McCarthy’s three-touchdown comeback to clinch a 27-24 win over the No. 1 overall pick on “Monday Night Football.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer is already placating New England Patriots fans that it’s unfair to compare Drake Maye to McCarthy, citing McCarthy’s better supporting cast in Minnesota.
“I also believe that J.J. McCarthy could very well have, clearly, a better 2025 NFL season,” Patriots insider Phil Perry told Breer. “Because of the situation that he’s in. It is clearly, far and away, a better quarterbacking situation in Minnesota compared to what Drake Maye is dealing with.”
That’s been the reason for optimism all offseason and the reason the Vikings bet on McCarthy. But the fact that had evaded many in the national audience all offseason: McCarthy can will himself and his team to win games.
Despite a strong supporting cast, McCarthy had to overcome his own disadvantages compared to the rest of the 2024 quarterback class.
McCarthy hadn’t played in a game in 609 days. He missed his entire rookie season, while the rest of his fellow first-rounders saw significant playing time. He’s also the youngest of the bunch, as well as the youngest starter in the league.
The NFL audience has moved the goalposts on McCarthy, who went from unproven to more productive than many of his contemporaries overnight.
It’s going to take time to see which 2024 quarterback draftees see success, but McCarthy has officially put himself at the center of the conversation.
Vikings QB JJ McCarthy Makes NFL History in Comeback Over Bears
McCarthy’s first start wasn’t pretty for the better part of three quarters, which was to be expected. Few quarterbacks come out firing in their first NFL start.
But after throwing a pick-six that put the Vikings behind by 11 points entering the final quarter, the Vikings had nothing to lose and began calling a more aggressive game for McCarthy.
He finished with 13 of 20 completions for 143 yards passing and two passing touchdowns to go along with two carries for 25 yards and a third touchdown on the ground, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to score three touchdowns in the final quarter of their first game.
How Did JJ McCarthy Compare to 2024 Rookie QB Debuts?
It’s safe to say McCarthy’s debut was a success, but how does he compare to his fellow 2024 first-round quarterbacks’ first starts?
Of the six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2024 draft, only two threw touchdowns in their first start — McCarthy and Maye.
While one game is far too small a sample to be predictive of their entire careers, Jayden Daniels had the best debut of any rookie quarterback and went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
McCarthy’s 2025 debut saw him garner the highest quarterback rating of the class — a sign of his preparedness to take over as the Vikings QB.
| QB | Passing stats | Passing TDs | INT | Passer rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams (Week 1) | 14-29 (48.2%) for 93 yards | 0 | 0 | 55.7 |
| Jayden Daniels (Week 1) | 17-24 (70.8%) for 184 yards | 0 | 0 | 93.1 |
| Drake Maye (Week 6) | 20-33 (60.6%) for 243 yards | 3 | 2 | 88.3 |
| Michael Penix Jr. (Week 16) | 18-27 (66.7%) for 202 yards | 0 | 1 | 73.4 |
| Bo Nix (Week 1) | 26-42 (61.9%) for 138 yards | 0 | 2 | 47.5 |
| J.J. McCarthy (Week 1, 2025) | 13-20 (65.0%) for 143 yards | 2 | 1 | 98.5 |
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post JJ McCarthy Leaves NFL Scrambling for New Narrative on Vikings QB appeared first on Heavy Sports.