
During the preseason in 2024, Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury. He needed surgery and was on the bench the entire year.
That forced Sam Darnold to be their starter last season. Minnesota did not re-sign Darnold this offseason with the intention of McCarthy being the starter in 2025. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has shown praise for the young QB in his first season of real action. Speaking with NFL insider Dianna Russini, O’Connell mentioned the pressure of developing J.J. McCarthy into their long-term QB.