JJ McCarthy Says He’s Ready to Start for the MN Vikings… Plus Much More

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JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are on the practice field this week for the first time since the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s their last round of offseason workouts before the Vikings hold their rookie mini camp in a couple weeks (May 9-12).

Not only are players hitting the field together for the first time, but many of them spoke with media on Tuesday, including presumed starting quarterback, JJ McCarthy. After making it clear to veteran QB1 hopefuls during free agency that their redshirt rookie would get every chance imaginable to start in 2025, they all signed elsewhere.

That left the Minnesota Vikings with no choice but to make a draft day trade with the Seattle Seahawks, for 24-year-old out of UNC, Sam Howell. Now, he and UDFA Gopher signee, Max Brosmer, join Mccarthy and the wise old veteran in the room, 28-year-old Brett Rypien, to complete the QB depth chart.

JJ McCarthy is Minnesota Vikings QB1 and he’s ready for it

Thus, at least for now, there is no real QB competition at TCO Performance Center for JJ McCarthy. He’s the guy. When asked by Kevin Seifert (ESPN) if he thinks he is ready to to be the Vikings’ starter, the 22-year-old former National Champion was respectfully blunt with his answer: “I know I’m ready to start, and I appreciate that question, Kevin.”

“I know I’m ready to start, and I appreciate that question, Kevin. Because all the work I put in and all the confidence in my skills and abilities. And just being able to do my job and simplify things to the best of my ability every single day.

Just take it one day at a time, one play at a time. You know, I have a tremendous coaching staff and a tremendous group of guys around me. I know I can lean on them and they can lean on me.”

JJ McCarthy on if he is ready to be the Vikings starter (Tuesday Press Conference)

Of course, JJ McCarthy’s confidence in himself isn’t the only takeaway from today’s presser. The first thing you might have noticed was not verbal. We knew JJ had gotten back to his playing weight, after losing a bunch during his injury recovery.

Thicc young JJ McCarthy era is here

But on Tuesday, all 215 pounds showed in his face and in his shoulders. McCarthy told reporters gathered at TCO Performance Center that the lowest he got to was 185 and that putting the weight back on was easy for him. In fact, he went as far as to say that it only took him around two weeks to put all of it back on.

From there, JJ McCarthy talked about everything from his ADHD diagnosis, to his meditation habits and what it means to him to be a leader. He was even asked about (and spoke on) what his mindset was when head coach Kevin O’Connell told him about the Vikings’ interest in Aaron Rodgers, earlier in the season.

Related: Mel Kiper Grades 2025 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class…

Of course, JJ passed every question with flying colors, as is to be expected with him. That included how his knee is feeling and where his health is, as the team enters offseason workouts, McCarthy said he feels more like 110%, than just 100%, since he’s in such a better place mentally and with the Minnesota Vikings playbook, after spending a year in the league.

Pressure…? Ha

Is he worried about the pressure that comes with being a starting quarterback in the NFL? Ha, JJ McCarthy laughs in the face of pressure. He told reporters today that he feels like he thrives under pressure. “The more pressure, the better.”

“Personally, I think the more pressure, the better. For me, because, you know, that’s something I thrive off of. And, you know, they always say the cliche ‘pressure is privilege, but that’s something that you sign up for when you play in the National Football League, especially at the quarterback position. I feel like pressure, all it does is just bring out what’s inside of you and I feel pretty good about what’s inside me.”

Anyone else ready to run through a brick wall? How can you say he is wrong? This is a kid who comes out of the University of Michigan as a National Championship winner, whose main job as quarterback of that team was to complete passes only in the most pressure-packed situations, especially on 3rd downs.

MN Vikings got someone different in JJ McCarthy

The 2023 Wolverines were built on a dominant defense and unbelievable run game. McCarthy’s job was to lead and show off his incredible arm talent, only when necessary. So, that’s what he did. Not only did he lead the Big Ten in overall completion percentage in his final collegiate season, but JJ’s 73.1% 3rd down completion rate lead the entire nation.

The crazy part about his 3rd down consistency as a junior, though? The further the 3rd down distance was, the better JJ McCarthy got. Take a look at the below chart (via cfbstats.com). 77.3% (17/22) on 3rd and 10+? Come on… Oh, and he was 7-of-8 on 4th down.

3rd down and distance’23 McCarthy
Cmp/Att		Cmp %
3rd down: 4-6 yds to 1st12/1866.7%
3rd down: 7-9 yds to 1st19/2770.4%
3rd down: 10+ yds to 1st17/2277.3%
4th down7/887.5%

When all was said and done at Michigan, McCarthy threw for 5,710 yards in his two seasons as starter for the Wolverines, tossing 44 touchdowns vs only 9 interceptions in that span. There is plenty of talent around him and nobody doubts the ability of the Minnesota Vikings’ coaching staff.

Related: MN Vikings 2025 Draft Class Has Elite Level RAS

In the next month or two, we will soon find out for ourselves just what JJ McCarthy is made of. And if we’ve learned anything from his limited preseason snaps from 2024, combined with the confidence he and others constantly have in him… we’re (hopefully) about to witness something special.

Here is JJ McCarthy’s entire press conference from Tuesday, April 29:

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