J.J. McCarthy was meant to be a long-term quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings after they drafted him in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan, but this offseason, they looked in another direction.
The Vikings brought in Kyler Murray from the Arizona Cardinals after he was cut in the desert, and Murray beat out McCarthy for the job to start in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that McCarthy would then become the QB2, the backup to Murray.
But on Sunday, when Murray got hurt, McCarthy didn’t go in the game.
Carson Wentz, formerly a No. 2 overall pick out of North Dakota State and more of an NFL veteran than McCarthy, was the guy who got to play instead.
McCarthy could only watch.
Why Isn’t J.J. McCarthy Playing?
McCarthy wasn’t playing on this day because the Vikings made him their third quarterback on Sunday.
He sustained a minor ankle injury and missed the preseason finale, and that is at least part of the reason that McCarthy was held out on Sunday.
There’ll be no way to know for sure how much the injury actually factored in, but given that the Vikings didn’t appear to list McCarthy as their emergency third QB, that suggests the injury was the real reason he wasn’t out there.
Wentz did start five games a season ago when McCarthy was hurt, so it wouldn’t have been a crazy call to go with the veteran in this spot anyway.
But it seems the reason it happened specifically here might be that ankle ailment that McCarthy is dealing with.
J.J. McCarthy Draft Pick out of Michigan
McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan.
Amazingly, he was the fifth quarterback off the board that year.
The Chicago Bears took Caleb Williams No. 1 overall out of USC, and that has worked out.
The Washington Commanders got Jayden Daniels with the second pick out of LSU, and he’s been good when healthy.
The New England Patriots drafted Drake Maye at the No. 3 spot out of North Carolina, and they played in the Super Bowl in his second season.
The Atlanta Falcons went Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8, and that hasn’t really worked.
McCarthy hasn’t worked out so far, either.
Bo Nix then went No. 12 out of Oregon to the Denver Broncos, and that’s been more of a success.
The Vikings couldn’t have gotten any of those first four passers unless they traded up higher, and they clearly liked McCarthy’s upside more than Nix.
But these days, the downfall has been tough and quick for McCarthy, and his future in Minnesota is definitely in doubt. His Michigan successes feel a long way away.
Why Isn’t J.J. McCarthy Playing? Michigan 1st-Round Pick Dissed by Vikings