The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2026 offseason with more questions than answers - and most of them revolve around the quarterback position.
After a promising 2024 campaign that saw the team win 14 games, the offense took a nosedive in 2025, plummeting from 12th to 28th in total offense. The biggest variable?
A quarterback change that didn’t just disrupt rhythm - it unraveled the entire offensive identity. Sam Darnold’s exit and JJ McCarthy’s rocky sophomore season set the tone for a year filled with instability, injuries, and underwhelming results.
The ripple effects were felt across the roster, but nowhere more clearly than in Justin Jefferson’s stat line. The All-Pro wideout still cracked 1,000 yards - a feat that would be a headline for most receivers - but by his standards, it was a quiet year.
His 84 catches for 1,048 yards and just two touchdowns over 17 games marked his least productive season as a pro. For perspective, Jefferson topped that yardage total in just 10 games back in 2023.
Minnesota’s quarterback carousel didn’t help. McCarthy played in only 10 games, and the Vikings were forced to turn to Carson Wentz and rookie Max Brosmer at various points.
The result? A disjointed offense that never found its footing - and a team that missed the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Darnold was thriving in Seattle.
In his first year with the Seahawks, Darnold didn’t just play well - he led them all the way to the Super Bowl, navigating a brutal NFC playoff gauntlet that included wins over the 49ers and Rams. It’s a remarkable chapter in a career that’s already seen its share of twists, from the Jets to the Panthers and now to a Super Bowl showdown against New England and rising star Drake Maye.
Jefferson, for his part, isn’t hiding how he feels about the situation. Speaking on the Sports Seriously podcast, he acknowledged the uphill battle Minnesota faced at quarterback in 2025.
“Everyone knows the difficulty of the QB position this year of how we was dealt it,” Jefferson said. “I definitely felt like we would’ve done better.”
When asked if the Vikings could’ve made a Super Bowl run with Darnold still under center, Jefferson didn’t hesitate: “Yeah for sure, I mean definitely.”
And it’s not hard to see why he feels that way.
In 2024, Darnold threw for over 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns in Minnesota. Jefferson was the biggest beneficiary, hauling in 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns on 154 targets.
The connection was real. The chemistry was obvious.
And the results spoke for themselves.
Fast-forward a year, and that continuity was gone. The offense lacked rhythm.
The passing game lost its edge. And the margin for error shrank with every game.
Jefferson has been publicly supportive of McCarthy, but his recent comments hinted at what was missing - a quarterback with system familiarity, someone who could anticipate throws and build trust with weapons like Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
It wasn’t just about stats. It was about timing, confidence, and cohesion - all of which evaporated in 2025.
Even former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah seemed to question the direction, hinting at regrets just before his departure. That moment underscored just how pivotal the Darnold decision has become in the larger narrative of this franchise.
For Jefferson, watching Darnold’s resurgence has been a mix of pride and pain.
“It’s definitely tough,” he said. “I love that he’s in the Super Bowl. I hope he wins, I think Seattle’s gonna win.”
That’s not bitterness - it’s honesty. And it’s the kind of reflection that comes from a player who knows just how close his team was to something special.
Now, the Vikings are left to regroup. The talent is still there.
But the quarterback position remains the biggest variable - and the biggest opportunity. If Minnesota can find stability under center, they’ve got the pieces to bounce back.
But if 2025 taught them anything, it’s that the margin between contender and also-ran can be razor-thin - and sometimes, it’s just one decision that makes all the difference.