After sitting out Sunday’s shutout loss to the Seahawks, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is on track to return in Week 14 against the Commanders.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Monday that McCarthy is now symptom-free after entering concussion protocol following the team’s Week 12 loss to the Packers. The symptoms surfaced on the flight home to Minnesota, but as long as McCarthy gets through a full practice on Wednesday, he’ll be cleared to start this weekend.
It’s been a rough go for McCarthy in his young NFL career. After missing his entire rookie season due to two knee surgeries, his second year hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing either.
A high ankle sprain in Week 2 sidelined him for over a month, and just as he was starting to settle back in, the concussion setback hit. He’s shown flashes of potential, but consistency has been hard to come by - not entirely surprising given the stop-and-start nature of his pro journey so far.
In McCarthy’s absence, rookie Max Brosmer got the nod under center against Seattle. There was some buzz around Brosmer making his first career start, but the afternoon quickly turned into a trial by fire.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell provides an update on J.J. McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/js9DadAURu
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 1, 2025
He finished with just 126 passing yards, no touchdowns, four interceptions, and took four sacks - good for a quarterback rating of 32.8. It was a tough debut, and the offense never found its rhythm.
For Vikings fans, the return of McCarthy should bring some much-needed stability - and maybe a little hope. At 4-8, Minnesota sits at the bottom of a stacked NFC North, and while a playoff run feels like a long shot, the focus now shifts to development and evaluation. The Bears are setting the pace in the conference at 9-3, and the rest of the division isn’t far behind, making each week a challenge.
Still, getting McCarthy back under center gives the Vikings a better shot to compete and, more importantly, gives him more reps to grow into the franchise quarterback they hope he can become.