Despite there being more questions than answers regarding Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the team’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, shared his thoughts on the young signal-caller heading into the final two games of the 2025 NFL season.
McCarthy had begun to put together a positive run of games after returning from his concussion. However, in the Week 16 win over the New York Giants, McCarthy suffered a “very, very small hairline fracture” in his right hand.
Despite a turbulent first season as the starter, marked by multiple injuries, Adofo-Mensah expressed confidence in the Vikings quarterback, highlighting how McCarthy’s performance has given the front office reason to be optimistic about what’s ahead.
“There’s just been growth moments,” Adofo-Mensah said during the December 23 edition of “X’s and O’s with Kevin O’Connell.” “I try and make sure that my dialogue with him is incredibly positive because, if you think about this world, you got the external world who’s always going to be negative and then you’ve got coaching who are going to be positive, but they’re also going to coach them.
“I try and always make sure I’m highlighting, ‘Hey man, this is a great thing that I’m seeing you’re doing.’ Things like playing really up in the pocket. A lot of young quarterbacks, when they get pressure in their face, they’re trying to bail out the back. He’s very good about getting up in the pocket either to make scrambles or make good decisions.”
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Gets Superman Analogy
Moreover, Adofo-Mensah made a unique analogy to describe what he sees in McCarthy, suggesting the team likely wants him as their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.
“You’re seeing the plays where, quarterback position to me, to a person who’s maybe not an expert, just kind of an evaluator and kind of a big picture thinker about it,” Adofo-Mensah added. “It’s about being Clark Kent [and] Superman. How many times are you going to put the cape on, but sometimes you just need to keep the glasses on and be that guy and kind of do those things? That’s the balance these have because the great ones are wired to want to put the cape on all the time.
“I think that we’re seeing him put the cape on a couple times, three times, four times a game, but also do the Clark Kent things, the boring things that really just metriculate offensive football down the field. So those are the things that I’m really excited to see. And then just the preparation, showing up a week of practice, getting the game plan, doing all those great things. Being there for his team is really exciting to see.”
Kevin O’Connell Is Disappointed About J.J. McCarthy’s Injury
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced on December 23 that McCarthy will not play on Christmas Day against the Detroit Lions. As a result, rookie backup Max Brosmer will start, but having the Michigan product miss another game this season is disappointing for O’Connell.
“It’s just a bummer,” O’Connell said (h/t ESPN). “It’s been really fun. … I know the week-to-week judgment of players and decisions and all these things that are noise in many cases, I understand it all. But the most fun part of this, and the most real part of it, is coaching the young player on his journey where we’ve really started to see, kind of, some things click for him.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Doesn’t Hold Back on J.J. McCarthy appeared first on Heavy Sports.