Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy's future looks more uncertain than ever with the addition of quarterback Kyler Murray.
That said, McCarthy's teammates aren't abandoning ship when it comes to the third-year quarterback's future after a subpar showing in 2025 despite being the No. 10 pick in 2024. Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison recently defended McCarthy on social media when a fan slammed the former Michigan quarterback. McCarthy had his struggles with a 57.6% completion rate for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns versus 12 interceptions in 10 games last year.
The fan wrote, via Instagram originally, that McCarthy is "gonna have you playing in the XFL in 2 years" and that "you ain't ever gonna win a playoff game in your life." The fan also referred to McCarthy as ‘Nine' because of the quarterback's jersey number in the post.
Addison fired back with "You dumb 9 gon be a star stay down" in comments.
Addison sees the behind-the-scenes work that McCarthy has done, which doesn't always show up on the field in a younger player's career. McCarthy had some bright spots, such as the Week 1 comeback win against the Chicago Bears and a road win against the Detroit Lions. He also led the Vikings to four consecutive wins to end the season at 9-8.
However, Addison and No. 1 wide receiver Justin Jefferson both saw their numbers drop as McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer tallied passing numbers below what Sam Darnold did for the Vikings in 2024. The quarterbacks combined for 2,834 yards and 18 touchdowns versus 21 interceptions.
Addison had 42 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns, but he averaged a career-best 14.5 yards per catch. He will look to bounce back stronger in 2026, whether it’s McCarthy or Murray throwing him the ball.
It's a critical season for Addison since he's in the fourth year of his rookie deal, which means the Vikings could give him the fifth-year option or a contract extension for 2027.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.