The Minnesota Vikings were taken aback last year by Sam Darnold’s impressive performance at quarterback. Darnold stepped into the starting role after the Vikings’ first-round draft pick, J.J. McCarthy, suffered a meniscus injury during the preseason, sidelining him for his rookie year. Despite Darnold’s success with the Vikings, he chose to sign with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, stepping in for Geno Smith, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Although the Vikings have been associated with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in recent weeks, the consensus in the league is that a fully healthy McCarthy will likely be the starter in Minnesota.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has shared his thoughts on McCarthy’s readiness for the upcoming 2025 campaign. “He’s always working,” O’Connell remarked, according to Pro Football Talk. “The spring is perfectly set up for J.J. with a classroom setting during Phase I, along with running and lifting, to continue his development. Now that his teammates are returning, he can further that progress and eventually get on the field to start throwing and catching before culminating those two to three weeks of OTAs and minicamp to build competitive experience — running the huddle, running the show.”
O’Connell emphasized that the training is systematically planned for McCarthy, who has demonstrated the ability to make all the necessary throws. “Now it’s just about applying it with detail and repetition alongside his teammates so we can project not only his areas for improvement but also tailor the offense to leverage his natural strengths while encouraging growth,” he said.
He continued, “It becomes more tangible day-in and day-out. We can create an environment that might not feel like merely another step in the process; instead, he’ll be stacking numerous days with his teammates, growing through the installations and adapting to how these quarterbacks interact with those setups.”
O’Connell pointed out the importance of the quarterback-center dynamic, especially with a new veteran center, Ryan Kelly, involved. “We’re fortunate to have many high-quality skill players that J.J. has already worked with,” he noted. “It’s essential to focus on what the Xs and Os look like in non-competitive scenarios, examining the fundamentals and techniques to harness growth.”
He further added, “This development phase is crucial; we’re no longer approaching it as we did a year ago when everything was brand new. It’s wonderful to recognize the progress J.J. has made, even without physical reps due to his injury. I commend him for how well he’s managed these last two to three months; I believe he’s ready to hit the ground running starting today.”
