The Minnesota Vikings decided that Kyler Murray will be QB1 to start the 2026 NFL season after edging out J.J. McCarthy in a competition. As a result, McCarthy is now QB2 for Minnesota as he waits for any opportunity to jump back into the starting role.
Nonetheless, McCarthy has an opportunity to put the pressure on Murray to play well out of the gate. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Aug. 20 that McCarthy is “more than likely” going to get the call to open the preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 22 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
With the joint practices with the Ravens now over, former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber reflected on what he saw. Furthermore, one notable thing that stood out to him involves McCarthy and how much his teammates like him despite now being QB2.
“It’s not just media coverage or a fallacy that [McCarthy is] well-liked,” Leber said during an Aug. 20 appearance on KFAN. “… He really tries hard to be the leader that they want him to be. And I think it is reciprocated in a genuine fashion where guys like his enthusiasm. Guys just like him.”
Last season with the Vikings, McCarthy had 310 pass snaps, leading to a 61.8 overall PFF grade. He also threw for 1,632 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, while recording 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.
Why Vikings Teammates Might Want J.J. McCarthy to Succeed
Leber noted that McCarthy taking that extra step to bond with his teammates is one they probably appreciate, which is why they reacted positively after the Vikings QB threw a touchdown pass to end the joint practice, which explains why his teammates might want to see him succeed.
“You can see the way that he’s intentionally been inclusive with the offseason stuff, whether it’s throwing with guys, having private throwing sessions, whether it’s just having guys over to the house or organizing off-the-field things, whether it’s going, having a suite at the [Minnesota] Wild game and inviting all the players,” Leber added.
“… So when he makes one of the best throws I’ve seen him make in practice, or really even in a game, in that two-minute drive where he did put a little bit of touch on a pretty hard throw over the middle of the field to Myles Price in that two-minute drill, where he did have to go over an intermediate defender.
“The ball had to travel over him, and then it had to get there with velocity because it was a tight throw to fit in this window. To see those guys react the way they did, it just shows you that he’s doing things the right way in the locker room.”
J.J. McCarthy Gets Encouraging Take After Losing QB Battle
While McCarthy needs to be ready for when his opportunity comes, Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports isn’t giving up on the Vikings QB and believes that he can still be a starter.
“I’m still a J.J. McCarthy guy,” Portnoy said on the Aug. 17 edition of “Wake Up Barstool.” “Kyler Murray’s super talented. We’ll see how it goes… Anybody who prepares and loves football as much as he does and has the track record and the pedigree, is his career done in Minnesota?
“Listen, guys get hurt all the time in the NFL. Maybe he’ll be back in Minnesota. He’ll definitely have another starting job, whether it’s in Minnesota or not. He says he loves it there… J.J. McCarthy’s career is far from over. So, what does J.J. McCarthy’s future in Minnesota look like? That I don’t know. I mean, he’s gonna start here again for sure.”
Vikings Get Strong J.J. McCarthy Message Before Ravens Game