Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
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Jordan Addison #3 of the Minnesota Vikings on the field after facing the Houston Texans.
As weeks of speculation about the Minnesota Vikings landing Kyler Murray became reality this week, J.J. McCarthy has been a man on an island in Minnesota; however, he does have one fan in receiver Jordan Addison.
McCarthy has been written off as the team’s starting quarterback for the 2026 season following Murray’s signing with the Vikings on March 12. Some have even gone as far as to say the McCarthy era is over in Minnesota, as he’s become subject to trade rumors in the aftermath of NFL free agency.
After going all-in on McCarthy, the Vikings went 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs, which has hurt his reputation in the league.
But as several fans came to an Instagram post of Addison’s with criticism of the young quarterback, Addison defended McCarthy amid the speculation surrounding McCarthy’s future.
An exchange Addison had with a fan in his Instagram comments surfaced on several media platforms.
” ‘Nine’ (McCarthy’s nickname) gonna have you playing in the XFL in 2 years,” a fan commented. “You ain’t ever gonna win a playoff game in your life.”
Addison replied: “You dumb 9 gon be a star stay down.”
McCarthy is coming off a 6-4 season in his first year as a starter, averaging 163.2 yards passing per game and threw 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
What Does Kyler Murray Signing Mean for Vikings, J.J. McCarthy?
J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is being warned that he’ll have competition for starter as Kyler Murray visits Minnesota.
After working wonders with an older roster he inherited from the Mike Zimmer-Rick Spielman regime, head coach Kevin O’Connell is facing an urgency to make the playoffs with an overhauled roster made in partnership with former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The timeline to contend has been accelerated, seemingly deferring McCarthy’s development. The 23-year-old missed his entire rookie year and missed seven games in his second season. For a quarterback that needs time to develop, McCarthy’s timeline has lagged behind the original plans when the Vikings selected him 10th overall in 2024.
That leaves a consensus that, facing a season where a playoff berth appears to be a mandate for the Vikings, Murray will get the starting nod.
From ESPN’s Kevin Seifert:
O’Connell has said he believes rigorous competition at the position would help elevate McCarthy if nothing else. He never said he wanted McCarthy to be his starter, but he also never said he wanted to replace him. Thursday night, he said: “Unless I’m confused in any way, shape or form, I don’t believe we have to name one of those currently.”
But the history of both players, and the amount of ground McCarthy would need to gain in the coming months, makes Murray the heavy favorite to be the Week 1 starting quarterback.
If the Vikings’ goal is to start the quarterback who gives them the best chance to make the playoffs in 2026, then almost everyone inside and outside the franchise knows that Murray is the bet to make.
Jordan Addison Facing Vikings Ultimatum in 2026
Outside of McCarthy, no player on the Vikings roster is facing more questions about their future than Addison.
The talent is undeniable. Addison has averaged 885 yards receiving and totaled 22 touchdowns in 46 career games.
However, off-field concerns have tainted what could have been an easy decision surrounding the 24-year-old receiver.
Addison is eligible for his fifth-year option to be exercised as well as an extension. The Vikings losing Jalen Nailor to the Las Vegas Raiders has made both options reasonable, but there was a consideration of trading Addison and re-signing Nailor.
Now, the Vikings are touch-and-go with Addison as he hopefully shapes up his behavioral issues. The latest: a run-in with the law in Florida in January and being benched during the 2025 season after he served a three-game suspension for his 2024 DUI arrest.
The Vikings are likely to exercise Addison’s $18 million fifth-year option to keep him under contract through the 2027 season. That gives Addison more time to show he’s mature enough to be handed an extension that could exceed $30 million annually.