JJ McCarthy talking with Kevin O'Connell and Josh McCown - Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Vikings are supposed to be at the starting line of a painstaking summer-long quarterback battle out at at TCO Performance Center in Eagan right now. Of course, we are learning that’s not going to be the case.
And while we didn’t get any official first team snap counts out at Vikings OTA practice Thursday, we did get a press conference appearance from head coach Kevin O’Connell, who talked about a multitude of topics, but spent most of his time (unsurprisingly) answering inquiries surrounding his quarterbacks.
In fact, KOC was even asked this afternoon to give his thoughts on what JJ McCarthy said last week, at an earlier OTA session, when the 23-year-old QB talked about how (essentially) he and Kyler Murray are just two high school rivals sitting on opposite sides of the Vikings’ QB room trying to win a job.
While O’Connell looked slightly uncomfortable answering such a blunt question, he navigated it okay, essentially telling reporters that he chooses to concern himself with what his players are doing on the football field — that, at least to him, the comments were a nothingburger.
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on JJ McCarthy’s comments about his relationship with Kyler Murray:
“I didn’t make a lot out of it. I know there was some reaction to it. That’s probably not the first time there’s gonna be a reaction to those guys answering questions about the… https://t.co/S8HXNCHYsb pic.twitter.com/att5d2nuY8
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) June 4, 2026
“Those things are always tough for me because I’m in it. I’m around it every day. Now, the interpretation of those comments are going to be what they are. I would just say that, in the room, and the actual day-to-day, the dialogue and interactions have been very professional. And even more so than that, it’s just been a positive room.”
“So, I didn’t make a lot out of it. I know there was some reaction to it. That’s probably not the first time there’s gonna be a reaction to those guys answering questions about the situation and that’s part of what the competition is all about.
There’s no hiding anything. It’s going to be displayed on the field. Their teammates, the coaching staff and the guys in this building have to feel conviction about the direction we go and you do that by your daily habits and just improving.”
Kevin O’Connell on JJ McCarthy’s comments
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Look, I’m not even sure JJ McCarthy himself believes, at this point, that he has any chance of winning the Minnesota Vikings’ QB competition. And sometimes, when KOC talks about certain subjects like he did today, It feels like he could be talking directly to his kid QB.
Wentz, McCown credited for good vibes in Vikings QB room
Being the quarterback of an NFL team requires you to be at the top of your game, not just on the football field, but off of it. And not just sometimes — all the time. That type of consistency and level-headedness just isn’t a trait JJ possesses, at this point in his young career.
When we weed through all the coach speak, I think that’s what KOC was telling us with his comments today — but in a much nicer and more buttoned-up way. That leads us to what’s keeping the good vibes in Minnesota’s QB room, if not for JJ McCarthy?
In the video above, Kevin O’Connell specifically mentioned depth QB Carson Wentz and QB coach/offensive pass game coordinator, Josh McCown — a renowned career backup — as two key pieces that help make life easier for everyone at TCO Performance Center.
“I think Carson [Wents] has a lot to do with [the positive atmosphere], as the veteran in the room, and obviously, I would never discount Josh McCown’s extensive career as a player in those quarterback rooms and how he manages the room and engages with everyone in there.”
Kevin O’Connell on key pieces to making Vikings QB room work
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Mentioned in this article: J.J. McCarthy Kevin O'Connell
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