JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings were completely and utterly dominated by the Denver Broncos in their preseason finale, Friday night in Mile High Stadium, to the tune of 34-6.
As we have seen all preseason, the offense struggled to move the football. In three exhibition games, the Vikings scored just one touchdown and scored a total of 22 points (7.3 PPG).
Defensively, Brian Flores’ crew did their best to keep the Vikings within striking distance. But once they got to the second half, and the field was full of players who will not make the final 53-man roster (and Josh Metellus started calling plays on defense), things got out of hand fast.
WHAT ARE THE VIKINGS DOING 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/L5P4n8eqEc
— Bryce 🎸 (@MileHighMims) August 29, 2026
Unfortunately, we did not get to see JJ McCarthy in pads against Denver. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell made it clear throughout the week that the team wanted the 2024 first round pick to start.
Cryptic O’Connell raising insider eyebrows surrounding JJ McCarthy
In his postgame press conference, KOC revealed that the hope for McCarthy, in Denver, was that he’d play for the entire first half. The Vikings see those lost preseason reps as crucial for a 23-year-old kid who won’t get any run during the regular season, if it goes according to plan.
Instead, the Vikings “couldn’t get him turned around” in time for JJ to ‘feel comfortable’ on his injured ankle. If you haven’t noticed, the cryptic verbiage O’Connell has been using recently, when speaking about McCarthy, is raising eyebrows of those who follow the team closest.
JJ McCarthy says he’s “not comfortable enough to go” LOL
Guy is made of glass and/or he’s getting traded soon.
Buckle up ladies and gentlemen. Should be a fun weekend 🍿 https://t.co/5KEBdaUYy8 pic.twitter.com/kP2jAba8W3
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) August 28, 2026
Related: Vikings’ New Regime Growing Frustrated with Caleb Banks
In the preseason, JJ McCarthy played in two games — completing 9/17 passes (53%) for 115 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Both on paper, and with the eye test, the only top-10 QB draft pick in Minnesota Vikings history looked like the same anxious kid who struggled to process through his reads in 2025.
MN Vikings head coach growing frustrated with kid QB?
That’s why O’Connell was so frustrated when he wasn’t “comfortable” enough to go on Friday night. The coaching staff felt those reps he missed were crucial for his development.
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell says JJ McCarthy would’ve played the first half in tonight’s preseason finale, but he wasn’t able to give it a go with an ankle injury:
“We’re gonna work through that as a staff, see where he’s at from a health standpoint first and foremost.” pic.twitter.com/QZfZLu38DZ
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 29, 2026
Here’s the thing, though. If the Vikings felt McCarthy’s ankle really was too injured to play on against the Broncos, this wouldn’t even be a discussion, and the head coach’s tone would be much different.
Instead, it would be treated as something outside of his control — just another disappointing moment in a series of unfortunate events that have helped to hold the 2023 National Champion out of Michigan down since entering the NFL three offseasons ago.
Alec Lewis leaves McCarthy off final 53-man roster
But that’s not how it’s being portrayed by the team, specifically O’Connell, who is clearly growing frustrated behind the scenes with the QB he pinned his reputation to, back in the spring of 2024.
So much so that those closest to the team, like The Athletic beat writer Alec Lewis, are taking McCarthy off of their 53-man roster projection. In his explanation, Lewis writes that “McCarthy’s comfort (or lack thereof) with being QB3 could dictate his future in Minnesota.”
Quarterback (2)
In: Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz
Out: J.J. McCarthy, Max Brosmer
McCarthy’s rough week added further murkiness about his status for 2026. The 23-year-old exited the second preseason game with an ankle injury, then practiced Monday and Tuesday. O’Connell gave him the day off Wednesday so that he could rest up enough to start Friday’s final preseason matchup with the Broncos. But McCarthy did not play. Wentz started and appears to be in line to be the team’s backup. McCarthy’s comfort (or lack thereof) with being QB3 could dictate his future in Minnesota.
The Vikings value Brosmer’s smarts and knowledge of the system, but his lackluster preseason performance casts some doubt on his future, as well.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic
Related: Harrison Smith Expected to Return for Vikings
At this point, the worst-kept secret in football is that Carson Wentz has surpassed JJ McCarthy on the MN Vikings’ quarterback depth chart. The only questions now surround how the young QB handles yet another disappointing setback.
If McCarthy is willing to take his QB3 designation in stride and use his time as scout team QB productively, it could be the best thing for his career, at this point in time. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of people ‘in the know’ who actually believe he’s capable of showing that kind of humility.
If they are right, it begs to question what the Vikings can get back for a former first round pick who currently looks like the biggest bust of his draft class… and whether or not Minnesota is forced to waive McCarthy, and let him walk for nothing.
The roster cutdown deadline is Sunday at 5 p.m. CDT.