J.J. McCarthy’s right ankle took the decision out of the Minnesota Vikings’ clean hands.
We’ll never know how the Vikings would have handled McCarthy, who suffered his first September loss since before high school, had he been healthy. Would they see if he can get on track against the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals? If they did, how long would they stay with him if the offense continued to sputter with him under center?
Given how McCarthy has played in seven of his first eight quarters in the NFL, Carson Wentz likely gives Minnesota the best chance to win on Sunday.
However, Wentz is the mundane familiar. He’s a 32-year-old former franchise quarterback who grew up a Vikings fan in North Dakota. He’s Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, or Jeff George with a Fargo accent. An accomplished quarterback whose best years are likely behind him. The next in line of placeholder quarterbacks until Minnesota finds the guy. More Kirk Cousins or Sam Darnold than Daunte Culpepper.
McCarthy is the immaculate unknown. He could become Christian Ponder. He may also be the next Fran Tarkenton. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell anointed McCarthy as their next franchise quarterback. He is to help the Vikings ascend beyond the uncomfortable middle where they have long resided. The quarterback killer left an X on McCarthy’s door, hoping he can help O’Connell unlock a better future for the Vikings.
Still, McCarthy left Sunday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with a blemish. He has now lost as many games in the NFL as he did in three years at Michigan. Had he not turned it on late in the Chicago Bears game, he’d have suffered as many losses as he did in two years at Nazareth Academy in nearby La Grange Park.
The Vikings are handling their boy wonder with kid gloves, but they can’t hide him from the evils of America’s gladiator sport. He already mysteriously tore his meniscus in the preseason last year. Now, they’re sending Kaden Elliss’ hit on McCarthy to the league to see if it’s an illegal hip-drop tackle.
Here is the play where Kevin O’Connell said J.J. McCarthy sprained his ankle. “He just kind of got rolled up on. We didn’t think it was significant when we came off after that series.” McCarthy got it taped up after the series and went back in the game, but it was worse today. pic.twitter.com/wVLoHDYovN
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) September 15, 2025
Minnesota says McCarthy suffered the injury on a second-and-20 scramble late in the third quarter. He played the entire game, finishing 11 of 21 passing for 158 yards and two interceptions. McCarthy took a hit on the play where he injured his ankle. Still, it was unclear that he was injured at the time.
McCarthy will be out two to four weeks with a high ankle sprain, according to Adam Schefter. Therefore, the Vikings must decide whether to play him in Week 5’s game against the Cleveland Browns in London or wait until after the Week 6 bye. Wentz could remove the decision from their hands by playing so well that they feel he gives them the best chance to win.
Wentz played most of the snaps last Thursday when McCarthy missed practice for the birth of his first child. “Carson stepped in and did a great job,” O’Connell said. “I know the guys will have a ton of confidence in him, as well as Max [Brosmer] being a snap away.”
Things would come full circle for Wentz if he had success in Minnesota. He grew up a Vikings fan and was a star at North Dakota State, and the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him second overall in 2016 to be their franchise quarterback.
He was an All-Star in 2017, but he suffered a torn ACL at the end of the season. Nick Foles led them to the Super Bowl, beating the Vikings 38-7 in the NFC Championship before winning it all at U.S. Bank Stadium. Now, Wentz can Wally Pipp Minnesota’s franchise quarterback and turn a talented roster into a contender.
Still, Wentz is the mundane familiar. Everyone here knows who he is and how the injury affected his career. We’ve seen Wentz types before.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is the immaculate unknown. He may have suffered two injuries and lost a game. Still, he could become the franchise quarterback the Vikings haven’t had since Tarkenton retired in 1978. He could take them to heights they’ve never reached, or this could be the last we’ve seen of him this season.