Vikings Say There “Has To Be” Competition For J.J. McCarthy In 2026

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed reporters in their season-ending press conference to break down what went wrong in 2025. Obviously a big topic of conversation was second-year QB J.J. McCarthy. 

Both men were on the same page that they weren’t going to give up on a player they traded into the top ten picks to take just a couple of years ago, but they also planned to bring in competition for McCarthy in 2026. 

“I think there has to be,” O’Connell said via the team’s website. “That’s what’s going to make everybody better in that room. It’s going to be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition. That should be how our entire organization looks at their individual roles when we compete against each other in the different aspects of the offseason. I ultimately think that’s what will [prepare] not only the starter but the next guy and the next guy, and we’ve learned we’ve got to get a lot of guys ready to play. And we’ve got to do it with a responsibility of being the best version of our offense.”

O’Connell has been on record in the past saying that organizations fail young quarterbacks more often than young quarterbacks fail organizations. Throughout his presser, he was clear that he is not ready to give up on McCarthy despite his inconsistencies that played a big role in the Vikings missing the playoffs. 

He pointed out injuries have hampered the McCarthy’s growth as much as anything, and have also made it impossible to render any kind of final evaluation. 

“We’re still looking at a quarterback who has started 10 games — 10 out of a possible 34 in two years. Not the ideal path for a young quarterback to develop on the field. But I thought he did,” O’Connell said. “And J.J. McCarthy is a guy that wants to be great. I know he’s going to work tirelessly to do that. I know his teammates have a lot of confidence in what he’s going to work to improve this offseason. … But I think a deep and talented quarterback room will only enhance his ability to do that.”

O’Connell was not ready to commit to any kind of rep plan, however. That would surely be influenced by the player or players the Vikings end up adding to the room. He did say McCarthy would be a “major emphasis” for the staff, suggesting he enters the offseason in pole position to start in 2026. 

“What that looks like with the reps, I think it’s all predicated on, obviously, J.J. is going to be a major, major emphasis for our staff and our team and me personally,” O’Connell said. “We’ll figure out what that looks like as we navigate the early part of this offseason when it comes to managing the roster, and I know Kwesi and his staff will do a great job of that. But I think ultimately we’ve got to decide how to not only continue J.J.’s progression, allow him to continue to ascend as a young player, 22 years old, with 10 starts. [But], like I said, I think the competition in that room will only enhance our entire team.”

McCarthy, 22, 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. 

He signed a four-year, $21,854,796 contract that included a $12,714,396 signing bonus and will carry a $3,973,599 cap figure for the 2024 season. The contract includes a fifth-year option for the team to pick up in 2028. 

In 2025, McCarthy appeared in 10 games for the Vikings and completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns.

We’ll have more on the Vikings’ plans at quarterback as the news is available.