Kevin O’Connell Wants J.J. McCarthy to Ditch the Alter Ego and Just Be Himself
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a message for his rookie quarterback: it’s time to stop playing a character and start playing like yourself again.
Over the past month, J.J. McCarthy introduced a new side of himself to the public - an alter ego he calls “Nine.”
It’s a persona he says emerged during his rehab from knee surgery, one fueled by intensity and a bit of inner fire. According to McCarthy, “Nine” was a response to years of being the upbeat, smiley leader at Michigan - the guy with a smiley face drawn on his hand and an optimistic vibe that never wavered.
But now, he’s been trying to tap into something darker, something more aggressive.
“I love feeding that wolf,” McCarthy said recently. “There’s a lot of power that comes from that built-up anger that you can transmute into your performance.”
But the results haven’t exactly backed up the transformation. Since unveiling “Nine,” McCarthy has gone 2-4 over his last six starts.
Yes, one of those wins was a dominant 31-0 shutout of the Commanders last Sunday - a defensive masterpiece - but overall, the offense hasn’t found consistent rhythm. And with a tough matchup looming against the Dallas Cowboys, O’Connell is ready to hit the reset button.
Speaking with Vikings radio voice Paul Allen on KFAN’s “X’s and O’s,” O’Connell laid it out plainly.
“All I’ve asked JJ to do is just be authentically himself,” O’Connell said. “We don’t need to exhaust any energy - our jobs are hard enough already - trying to be somebody else or play to some sort of persona. Whatever it may be, let’s just go back to work, man.”
Allen echoed the sentiment, noting that while “Nine” may have served a purpose in the moment, it doesn’t reflect the quarterback’s true identity.
“I don’t dig [the alter ego] because I don’t think that’s who that kid is,” Allen said. “That’s who he was in the moment, but it doesn’t mean that’s who he is.”
This isn’t about stripping McCarthy of his edge - every great quarterback has to find their internal fuel. But O’Connell’s message is clear: don’t force it.
The NFL is challenging enough without adding layers of self-imposed pressure. The Vikings need McCarthy to lead, not act.
And with a prime-time showdown against a playoff-caliber Cowboys team coming up Sunday night, the stakes are real. Kickoff is set for 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
O’Connell Weighs In on Philip Rivers’ Return
While talking quarterbacks, O’Connell also touched on a surprising bit of NFL news: Philip Rivers is back - sort of.
The Indianapolis Colts officially added the veteran quarterback to their practice squad on Wednesday, a move that raised eyebrows across the league. But for O’Connell, it wasn’t all that shocking.
He knows Rivers well, having briefly shared a locker room with him in 2012 and growing up in the San Diego area while Rivers was the face of the Chargers. And if there’s one thing O’Connell knows about the 17-year vet, it’s that he’s never truly stepped away from the game.
“I know for a fact he’s got a full-scale practice field at his house,” O’Connell said. “And he’s got enough folks in his family to form a team if he needs to.”
That’s not a joke - Rivers has nine kids.
“Philip Rivers is one of the best to ever do it,” O’Connell added. “And I wouldn’t put anything past him… to play at a really high level like he always did.”
Whether Rivers actually sees the field again remains to be seen, but the respect from O’Connell is real. And in a league where quarterback depth is more valuable than ever, Rivers’ return - even in a practice squad role - is another reminder that experience still holds weight.
For now, though, all eyes in Minnesota are on McCarthy. And the message heading into Sunday night is simple: no more alter egos. Just play your game.