J.J. McCarthy’s path in Minnesota has taken another sharp turn.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday afternoon that the former Michigan quarterback has been moved to third string heading into Sunday’s Week 1 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy will now sit behind Carson Wentz, who is listed as the backup behind starting quarterback Kyler Murray.
O'Connell said the team will keep sorting through McCarthy and Wentz as the season moves along, with the quarterback situation being handled on a week-to-week basis.
"Carson, he’s got almost 100 career starts. What he did last year, with very limited reps, was apply a career's worth of experience.
That’s kinda what you need to do as a backup quarterback," O'Connell told reporters. "J.J., he is still going to get a bunch of great work. ...
I'm really excited to have the chance to continue working with him."
Murray’s arrival in Minnesota in March, after seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, immediately changed the conversation around McCarthy and his long-term place with the team. A training camp battle followed, and McCarthy lost the starting job.
That leaves a lot of uncertainty around a player the Vikings took with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after he helped Michigan win the 2023 National Championship title.
McCarthy went 6-4 in his only season as Minnesota’s starter in 2025, throwing for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He flashed at times, but his early NFL career has been slowed badly by injuries.
He missed five straight games last season with a high ankle sprain, then sat out more time because of a concussion and a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. His rookie year in 2024 never got off the ground, either, after a torn meniscus kept him out for the entire season.
"I want to make this week-to-week, so when we feel like we need to declare something different, we can," O'Connell said. "This gives us the best chance to win this Sunday, based on how the game goes."
In Other News...
Illinois Fans Finally Got Some Clarity On Zvonimir Ivisics Injury
Illinois fans have been waiting for some real news on Zvonimir Ivisic, and there is finally a clearer sense of the timeline. The Illinois basketball big man is sidelined with a hand injury he suffered while visiting his home country, and he is currently wearing a cast while the staff monitors his recovery.
Offensive coordinator Tyler Underwood said the cast is expected to come off in a couple of weeks, which at least gives the Illini a better idea of where things stand as they look ahead. Illinois is also managing an injury to David Mirkovic, and getting both players healthy remains part of the picture as the program thinks toward the 2026-27 season. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Missed On One Five Star But Another Door Just Opened
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For Illinois, the bigger takeaway may be what happens next. UConn has reportedly canceled official visits for several other top recruits, including King Gibson, who remains a high-priority target for the Illini. With two commitments already in hand for 2027, Illinois still has room to keep pressing on other highly ranked options, and the opening left by UConns move could give the staff a cleaner path with some of the prospects still on its board. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have Found Its QB Fit Right Before Bigger Tests Arrive
Katin Housers first start for Illinois gave the offense a different kind of rhythm, and it came at a useful time. The transfer quarterback arrived with real college mileage from stops at Michigan State and East Carolina, and he brought that background to bear in his debut, throwing for 182 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover while settling into an attack built around what he does best. Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. has kept the install straightforward, a practical approach for a quarterback with more than 6,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns already on his resume.
The performance did not settle every question for the Illini, but it did suggest the staff may have found a workable fit before the schedule tightens up. Housers mobility and comfort in the system gave Illinois cleaner answers than it has had at times this season, and that matters when the next stretch is likely to demand more than just competence. For now, the bigger point is less about the numbers than the fit, and whether this version of the offense can hold up when the competition rises. [Read more 🡒]