Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is going through the league's concussion protocol after reporting symptoms on the trip home from the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers, head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday.
O'Connell said it's too early to tell what McCarthy's status will be for the team's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, though he admitted it's possible undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will start the game.
"I think we gotta just take it a day at a time and leave it to the medical professionals and the protocol that's in place," O'Connell said.
The head coach said it's not just about clearing the protocol, but also whether McCarthy gets sufficient practice time.
"It's a medical thing first and foremost, and then I do think then at that point, once we see where we're at in the week and what it's looked like preparation-wise, then we can make a football decision," O'Connell said.
If McCarthy does sit out Sunday's game, it would make 23 of 29 possible games he's missed in his career due to injury.
"It's definitely not ideal, and really there's — that phrase can be applied to several stops on the journey so far early on for him, and it's unfortunate because all you wanna do is go back to work," O'Connell said.
If Brosmer is forced into action, O'Connell doesn't doubt he'll be fit for battle. The former Minnesota Gopher has thrown eight passes in cleanup action so far this year, completing five of them for 42 yards.
"All he's done since he's been here is show up every single day and respond and answer the bell, whether it's stepping in for some reps when guys were dinged up previously this year with the first group, or if you look at it from a standpoint of what his absorption of the offense was and throughout his first day here all the way through training camp," O'Connell said. "Playing in some of those games, playing against the Titans' first-team unit in that preseason game defensively and moving the team and getting the ball out and seeing things at a veteran level type of eye progression. I think we all have a lot of confidence in Max."
With veteran Carson Wentz, who started five games in relief of McCarthy earlier this season, on injured reserve, Brosmer is currently the only healthy QB on the active roster. O'Connell said John Wolford could be elevated from the practice squad if need be.