The Blitz: It's Too Early to Give Up on J.J. McCarthy With the Vikings

Published November 28, 2025

The growing concern about quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s struggles has reached a fever pitch with the second-year pro failing to spark an offense that was expected to push the Minnesota Vikings into title contention. Although the team’s woes amid a 4-7 start are not solely attributable to their young quarterback, McCarthy’s subpar play has contributed to a disappointing campaign that has raised questions about his long-term potential as the team's QB1.

With his 2024 quarterback classmates – particularly Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix – inching towards elite QB1 status, the skeptics are ready to dismiss the Vikings’ QB1 after a bumpy six-game start to his NFL career.

While I understand McCarthy’s numbers have not been impressive – his 54.1 percent completion rate, 57.9 passer rating, and 5.8 yards per pass attempt average ranking among the league’s worst – it is too soon to give up on a young, talented quarterback who needs more game experience to acclimate to the league fully.

Remember, McCarthy entered the NFL with just 28 collegiate starts under his belt after leading Michigan to a 27-1 mark that included a national title and a pair of Big 10 championships. After missing his entire rookie season due to a knee injury and five games of the 2025 campaign with a high ankle sprain, the second-year pro is undergoing the growing pains most quarterbacks experience when they step into the league.

From the playbook struggles to dealing with the complexities of coverage and the speed of the NFL defenders, young quarterbacks can be overwhelmed by the pro game. Additionally, it takes time for play-callers to fully understand a young quarterback's strengths and weaknesses and which concepts work best for his skill set.

"We've got to keep putting together plans that give us a chance that express what we want to be as an offense with some talented players in that huddle, while also giving (McCarthy) a chance to grow but not putting the game totally in his hands where the variance of a young quarterback will cost our whole team," Kevin O'Connell said after the Vikings’ 23-6 loss to the Green Bay Packers. "I think there's a needle to thread there, and we've got to keep on building the foundation of playing the position, but also all 11 guys in the huddle doing their jobs."

Before delving into how the Vikings can put together better game plans for McCarthy, it is essential to understand his style of play and why he has struggled.

As a mobile playmaker with above-average arm talent and a 6-foot-3, 219-pound frame, the second-year pro possesses the physical tools to dominate inside and outside the pocket. He can make every throw in the book from the pocket or on the move, enabling play-callers to utilize traditional drop-back concepts, play-action passes and bootlegs to take advantage of his skills.

With the Vikings, McCarthy has shown impressive flashes as a dual threat in his two wins as a starter (SEE: Week 1 versus Chicago and Week 9 vs Detroit) despite his modest stat lines. The first-time starter made a handful of pinpoint throws under duress that showcased his poise, ball placement, and accuracy. Additionally, McCarthy’s athleticism and movement skills stood out on his tape. He puts defenders in a bind when he gets out on the perimeter on options, designed quarterback runs, or impromptu scrambles.

As a passer, McCarthy routinely hits the mark when he can throw from a clean pocket. He has dropped "dimes" in pivotal moments (see Jalen Nailor’s 16-yard reception against the Lions with 1:32 left), displaying the confidence in the clutch that is expected of a franchise player.

However, he has been inconsistent with his reads, progressions, and ball placement. Like most young quarterbacks, McCarthy struggles with timing and anticipation. He is waiting for his receivers to get open, instead of throwing the ball to a spot and trusting his pass catcher to make a play. Part of his hesitation can be attributed to the complex coverages and intricate pre-snap disguises he is seeing from opponents. Defensive coordinators are instructing their defenders to change the picture from pre-snap to post-snap, leading to uncertainty for McCarthy when it is time to target a receiver.

Additionally, he is routinely forced to throw from a leaky pocket with pass rushers in his face or near his feet when he releases the ball. As a result, McCarthy is missing mark because he is unable to finish his throws with proper footwork or mechanics.

Considering the original starting offensive line of Christian Darrishaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and Brian O’Neill have only started one game together and have yet to finish a contest intact, the young quarterback’s struggles should not be surprising. The frontline has not consistently protected McCarthy on passing downs or consistently generated a push on ground-and-pound plays to enable Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason to rumble between the tackles.

Until the offensive line returns to form, it is challenging for O’Connell to put together an effective plan that allows McCarthy to operate in a managerial role until he can take on more playmaker responsibilities. Despite the challenges, it is the head coach/offensive play-caller's responsibility to figure out how to put the second-year pro in the best environment for him to play like the promising QB1 who impressed at Michigan, leading a run-centric squad to a national title.

O’Connell must scale back the call sheet to feature more of McCarthy’s favorite plays to build up his confidence and generate quicker decisions from the pocket. Additionally, the use of a ball-control approach with a mix of runs, bootlegs, and play-action passes is designed around simplistic "levels" reads that lead to easy completions.

J.J. McCarthy was sacked five times and threw for only 87 yards last week against the Packers. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The Vikings can also take advantage of Justin Jefferson’s superior route-running skills to feature more isolation routes with the All-Pro as the primary read. By utilizing various motions, shifts, and exotic formations, O’Connell can manipulate the coverage to design a quick "winner" to his WR1 in space. With the Vikings also capable of featuring Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in the isolation game, O’Connell needs to tap into some of his blackboard wizardry to help his struggling passer get back on track by creating easy throws to his top targets.

While the football world is ready to hit the panic button on the JJ McCarthy experiment, the Vikings should ignore the noise and focus on building a game plan that enables him to settle into his role as a "game manager" on a playoff-caliber team.

Moreover, the coaching staff must get the team to focus on playing the complementary football that led to his winning performances. If the Vikings can get back to playing the low-risk, run-first, high-percentage aerial attack that mirrors the Michigan game plans that helped McCarthy emerge as a top-10 pick, the second-year pro will eventually find his rhythm and confidence as a starting quarterback with franchise-player potential.

Though it might not transform the Vikings into a playoff participant this season, the patient approach will pay dividends in 2026, when these rough experiences become valuable lessons that help McCarthy eventually realize his potential.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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