One Last Hurdle for Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings turned to Max Brosmer last weekend for his NFL debut. The former Minnesota Gophers quarterback stepped in with Carson Wentz out for the year and J.J. McCarthy still not cleared from a concussion he suffered against the Green Bay Packers.

Things didn’t go well for Brosmer or the Vikings, who fell to 4-8 on the season. With five games left, Kevin O’Connell needs every remaining snap to evaluate his 2025 roster, and getting McCarthy live reps is a crucial part of that plan.

He took steps forward earlier in the week, and Wednesday’s practice report delivered the most encouraging update yet.

JJ McCarthy one day from clearing concussion protocol

There is no denying that McCarthy has not played to the level the Vikings envisioned. Still, simply being on the field is half the battle. After participating fully in Wednesday’s practice, he now stands one step away from clearing the concussion protocol.

Full practice for J.J. McCarthy today, which should put him in line to be cleared from the concussion protocol as long as there are no setbacks. https://t.co/78qMKl12Pn

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) December 3, 2025

The offensive line remains a question mark after the first practice of the week, but McCarthy is trending in the right direction. He’ll need to complete final testing on Thursday and remain symptom-free in order to be cleared.

If he receives the green light, McCarthy will start Sunday when the Vikings host the Washington Commanders. It’s still unclear who will be under center for Washington, with Marcus Mariota recently filling in for the injured Jayden Daniels.

McCarthy has played only six games this year after missing time with both ankle and head injuries. The 2024 first-round pick has completed just 54.1% of his passes with a 6/10 TD-to-INT ratio. There is plenty of room for growth, but as last weekend showed, things can indeed be worse.

With the Vikings facing elimination from playoff contention with a loss or tie on Sunday, there isn’t much left to play for. However, if McCarthy can show meaningful improvement to close out the season, the outlook for 2026 and beyond becomes far less bleak.