Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy ‘Looks Great’ Back On The Field

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy missed his rookie season after suffering a knee injury in Minnesota’s preseason opener. When talking to reporters this week, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said McCarthy has begun practicing and “looks great” throwing passes. 

“He’s on the field, throwing and training,” Adofo-Mensah said, via ProFootballTalk. “He looks great. He’s excited. You talk about a kid who’s just obsessed with football and loves being around the game. So, we’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited for this offseason for him. It’s a big offseason. And then, we’ll continue from there.”

Despite missing the entire season, Adofo-Mensah thinks McCarthy took some mental leaps and showed strong work ethic throughout the year. 

“It’s a redshirt year, but mentally, the process that they had, just in our exit meetings with him, just talking about how much he learned the year compared to other years in his football life, [it was] just exponential, which you would expect for a young player in this building,” Adofo-Menssah said. “So I think we’re really confident in him, his work ethic, and his preparation.”

As for whether he’s comfortable with McCarthy as their starter going into 2025, Adofo-Mensah responded they cannot say for certain, but reiterated he’s shown exemplary “talent and preparation.”

“But I can’t sit here and tell you I know anything for certain,” Adofo-Mensah said. “I know that I’m willing to believe in the person that we have. That position is about talent and preparation — and he’s got those things in spades. So, if that’s the course of action we decide, we’ll go in there confidently.”

Back in November, McCarthy underwent a second surgery on his right knee to address a swelling issue that occurred during his rehab.

McCarthy was reportedly given a biologic injection. The good news, however, is that it was not expected to change his recovery timetable.

His rookie season ended before it even began after undergoing a full repair of his torn meniscus.

McCarthy, 21, led Michigan to a National Championship in 2023 and was named first-team All-Big Ten. The Vikings used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft on McCarthy. 

The No. 10 overall pick is projected to sign a four-year, $21,384,200 contract that includes a $12,372,146 signing bonus and will carry a $3,888,036 cap figure for the 2024 season. The contract includes a fifth-year option for the team to pick up in 2028. 

During his time at Michigan, McCarthy started 28 of 40 games, completing 67.6% of his passes for 6,226 yards and 49 touchdowns, adding 632 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.