Carson Wentz’s 2025 NFL season is officially over, putting the Minnesota Vikings in a difficult position without their veteran signal-caller. According to ESPN, Wentz will undergo surgery to repair a left shoulder injury suffered on October 5 while filling in for injured starter J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy is expected to reclaim the starting job when the Vikings face the Detroit Lions on November 2. With Wentz now on injured reserve, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer stands as the lone backup on the active roster.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke with KFAN’s Paul Allen on the team’s YouTube channel and broke his silence on the Wentz injury as he spotlighted the behind-the-scenes details that the veteran brought.
“A lot of times in the week-in and week-out hustle and bustle of a season, you forget the commitment that these players make to being out there for their teammates,” O’Connell told Allen. “When Carson got here, I was excited about getting to know the person and the player I had heard so much about throughout his career.
“Watching the way he worked and prepared—both when he was the starter and even before that, before he knew if he would get any snaps this year based on J.J.’s health—was impressive.”
Vikings Will Miss Carson Wentz’s Mindset
After Sam Darnold left Minnesota last offseason, the Vikings needed a reliable veteran behind McCarthy. The front office signed Wentz because he checked off all the right boxes and knew what it meant to play for the Vikings.
“As we went into Carson’s opportunity to play, he was very smart, obviously big and strong,” O’Connell added. “He told me when he first started playing how excited he was to play meaningful football again. It had been a few years. He had gotten a little time here and there, but playing in real games with a chance to help his hometown team—the team he grew up rooting for—win football games meant a lot to him.
“Throughout the journey with him, I was really proud of the way he battled both physically on the field and mentally, preparing and fully committing himself to our offense and figuring out how to have success.”
All Eyes Are On Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
With Wentz out for the season, NBC Sports’ Mike Florio said it’s sink or swim for McCarthy. The Vikings no longer have a veteran option to rely on. Last year, they had Sam Darnold, and this season it was Wentz, but now the focus shifts entirely to the second-year quarterback.
“It’s time to see what J.J. McCarthy can do or not do,“ Florio said on the October 28 edition of “Pro Football Talk.“ “Let’s just see. You got to figure it out because if you made a mistake, you got to do what the Colts did and admit it.
“You still have J.J. McCarthy under contract for two more years. I’m not suggesting cutting him, but you go find a Daniel Jones and you try not to obsess over the fact that you had Daniel Jones and you let him get away.”
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