Almost exactly one year after stepping onto an NFL field for the first time — and ultimately suffering a torn meniscus during an impressive preseason debut — J.J. McCarthy was back in a Vikings uniform and playing football at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday. Now locked in as Minnesota's starting quarterback, there was no need for him to play nearly as much as he did last year. But McCarthy's 12 snaps against the Texans provided an opportunity to face some live bullets again and show how far he's come, both in terms of health and his quarterback journey.
McCarthy said the emotions of the moment got to him a little bit on Friday night and then again before kickoff on Saturday.
"Had a little teardrop, not gonna lie, being out there right before the national anthem," he said. "This game is the best game in the world. And to be out there with this kind of group and this coaching staff, it was absolutely terrific."
As far as his performance went, there were some good reps and some reps that can be used as teaching moments, which has been the case throughout training camp for the 22-year-old QB. McCarthy completed his first three passes, all to Jordan Addison, for 33 yards. He also scrambled for a conversion on fourth down. But he sailed a ball too high for Lucky Jackson over the middle of the field and finished 4 for 7 for 30 yards as a passer. The drive resulted in a Will Reichard field goal.
"The one drive that I had, it was great to kind of get things done from an operational standpoint, but there's a lot that we can build off that, lot more areas we could grow," McCarthy said. "And with me specifically for sure, but happy to string together a 12-play drive and put some points on the board."
"I love the fact that we were able to execute, hit an explosive in the play pass game," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "I love the fact that we converted some third downs. I love the fact that on the fourth down, he used his legs."
J.J. McCarthy's eight dropbacks against the Texans on Saturday.
4 of 7, 30 yards, 8-yard rush. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/f2Pfx2TzvP
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 10, 2025
The first test for any young quarterback isn't about throw decisions or accuracy, it's about getting your 10 teammates organized and managing the operation efficiently. From that standpoint, McCarthy did well. There were no issues with the headset communication from O'Connell to McCarthy, or with getting everyone lined up on time and setting protections in the pass game.
"There's just a level of composure and poise to how he ran the show that was exactly what I was looking for," O'Connell said.
The highlight of McCarthy's day was an 18-yard completion to Addison that he had to throw with anticipation and pressure bearing down on him.
"That's a 25-yard out cut, and just being able to trust that timing in real time, and trust the protection," McCarthy said. "It was a huge growing rep that I felt like just injects confidence in my veins going to the next one."
In terms of plays that didn't go as well, there were a couple short passes that went nowhere and a third down play where McCarthy tried to avoid pressure and make something happen, but the one rep he'd like to have back is the throw to Jackson that got away from him.
Both McCarthy and O'Connell agreed that he rushed his process a little on that play.
"I feel like there were a couple occasions where I could have sat in there and trust the pocket and make a better decision in that time frame," McCarthy said. "Like the one to Luck across the middle, if I would have just waited a click longer, I would have found him in that window."
"I thought there was maybe one throw over the middle that was high to Lucky that was he was a little sped up on, kind of resetting back through a progression," O'Connell said.
For the most part, though, it was a solid outing in a small sample size. This was just one checkpoint for McCarthy in the ongoing process of getting him ready to go for the regular season opener in Chicago, which is now less than a month away.
"Just being out there with my teammates again, it was truly awesome," McCarthy said.
J.J. McCarthy
Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) scrambles for a gain against the Houston Texans during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images