Vikings Rumors: J.J. McCarthy ‘Would Have to Be Absolutely All-World’ to Win QB1 Job

It’s going to take a significant push from J.J. McCarthy for the rookie to be the Minnesota Vikings Week 1 starter in 2024.

During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the 2024 first-round pick would need to be “all-world” in order to win the starting quarterback job to start his rookie season:

“He is not the starter as of now, Sam Darnold is considered the heavy favorite. My sense is McCarthy would have to be absolutely all-world in the next six weeks to win this job. But he will play eventually. You’ve got the Week 6 bye down the road. Can he maybe get the job by then? We’ll see. But the Vikings are lowkey excited about Sam Darnold the veteran. They believe there’s untapped potential there; he’s never had a supporting cast quite like this. Maybe he can revive his career.”

Fowler reported that McCarthy could potentially earn the position after the team’s Week 6 bye, but that the Vikings have been impressed with quarterback Sam Darnold as well.

Minnesota selected McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the fifth quarterback selected in the Draft and Minnesota hopes he can solidify the position and help the Vikings remain a contender in the NFC.

McCarthy’s individual statistics at the collegiate level don’t necessarily jump off the page. He had 6,226 yards and 49 touchdowns during three seasons with the Michigan Wolverines. He never eclipsed 3,000 passing yards in a single season, but he went 25-1 as a starter and led Michigan to the 2023 National Championship.

His proven ability to lead teams to victory, as well as his strong physical tools and dual-threat ability, led the Vikings to selecting him and hoping he can translate that success to the next level. However, Fowler’s report suggests that Minnesota intends to ease McCarthy in and make sure he is truly ready for the opportunity when it arises.