J.J. McCarthy’s path with the Minnesota Vikings took another turn on Wednesday, with coach Kevin O’Connell announcing the former Michigan quarterback has been bumped 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 to starting quarterback Kyler Murray. O’Connell said the Vikings plan to keep evaluating both McCarthy and Wentz as the season unfolds, with the backup role staying in flux from week to week.
“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."
Minnesota’s quarterback picture changed when the team signed Murray in March after his seven-year run with the Arizona Cardinals. That move immediately put McCarthy’s long-term hold on the starting job for 2026 in question.
The Vikings then held a quarterback competition during training camp, and McCarthy came out on the losing end. For now, his future with the franchise looks uncertain.
Minnesota took McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, banking on the momentum he built after leading Michigan to the 2023 National Championship title.
His first season as Minnesota’s starter came in 2025, and the results were uneven: McCarthy went 6-4, throwing for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and a dozen interceptions. He flashed enough to show why the Vikings invested so heavily in him, but injuries have slowed his development every step of the way.
McCarthy 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, thanks to a torn meniscus that 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."
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