Vikings Name Starting QB for First Preseason Game

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J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

We are just five days away from the Minnesota Vikings kicking off their first preseason game of the 2025 season. They’ll play host to the Houston Texans.

Plenty of parallels exist there with Danielle Hunter, Cam Robinson, Aireontae Ersery, and Ed Ingram all standing on the opposing sideline. There isn’t much to glean from most exhibition games, but this one could be a bit different.

JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

After suffering a season-ending knee injury against the Las Vegas Raiders during the preseason last year, J.J. McCarthy will be back under center.

JJ McCarthy will start for Minnesota Vikings

Last season J.J. McCarthy made his preseason debut against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 10, 2024. He’ll return to the field for the first time one day shy of his year anniversary.

McCarthy threw 17 passes against the Raiders and completed 11 of them. He passed for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed twice for 18 yards.

So far in training camp the Vikings defense has had the offense struggling to move the football. Brian Flores’ front seven ranks as the best in the sport, and that’s not a surprise it would create problems for McCarthy and the offense.

It’s not a surprise that the Vikings would want to get McCarthy into game action. That said, the greatest point of growth throughout training camp may arguably be the joint practices with the New England Patriots. Mike Vrabel’s squad will be in town for the week leading up to their exhibition contest. Those practices are an opportunity to learn, and McCarthy will see a defense other than his own.

If there is a group for the former Michigan product to grow against though, it’s his own teammates. McCarthy is constantly seeing high-level looks in practice, and that should only serve him well when the game goes at breakneck speed.

McCarthy enters the season as the Vikings unquestioned starter after being made a first round pick last April. Minnesota is hoping he can be their franchise quarterback of the future, and the proving ground will be the results this season.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Add More Pass-Catching Help

Everywhere he has been McCarthy has won. He left college after winning a National Championship. The Wolverines quarterback threw for 2,991 yards on a Big Ten-leading 72.3 completion rate. Minnesota hopes to see more of that and their first chance this season takes place on Saturday.

Vikings revealed the expected with JJ McCarthy

Earlier in training camp Thor Nystrom reported that the Minnesota Vikings would start McCarthy in their first preseason game. It is also the only game he is expected to play in.

With McCarthy on the sidelines for both the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans contests, there will be plenty of time to evaluate the backups. Minnesota traded for Sam Howell as presumably the lead candidate behind McCarthy, but things haven’t trended that way.

The Vikings love Brett Rypien, and Max Brosmer joined the squad as an undrafted free agent. That trio will have their time to shine, or prove the backup isn’t currently on the roster.

When trying to establish a legitimate QB2, it’s possible the Week 1 option is not currently on the roster.

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