J.J. McCarthy could be in line to miss further time this season. The first-year Vikings starter is in concussion protocol, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced. 
O’Connell said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) McCarthy reported symptoms during the flight home from yesterday’s loss. It is very rare for players to clear concussion protocol within one week, so at least one missed game should be expected. Turning to veteran Carson Wentz will not be an option, since he is recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery.
In the event McCarthy is unable to suit up for Week 13, it will be Max Brosmer getting the nod. The undrafted free agent has made four appearances so far during his rookie season, throwing eight passes. A first career start will be something to watch for over the coming days depending on McCarthy’s ability to clear the protocol.
The Vikings allowed Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency this offseason. On both fronts, that came as little surprise given McCarthy’s presence. The 2024 first-rounder was sidelined for his entire rookie season while recovering from meniscus surgery. Expectations were nevertheless high in his case for the current campaign.
McCarthy has shown flashes at times when on the field, but largely speaking he has not produced as the Vikings hoped in 2025. The 22-year-old has completed only 54.1% of his pass attempts, throwing 10 interceptions and just six touchdowns. A high ankle sprain left McCarthy sidelined earlier in the year, leading to five straight Wentz starts.
As McCarthy recovered, Wentz played at well below full strength before ultimately undergoing surgery. That paved the way for McCarthy to handle QB1 duties the rest of the way, but a new injury threatens to once again result in missed time in this case. The Vikings have lost three straight games and they are now 4-7 as a result.
A playoff berth is likely unattainable at this point, but any late-season run will now presumably depend – at least for one week – on the outcome of Brosmer’s first career start. The Vikings will play the Seahawks on Sunday and are on track to do so with their third different QB starter of the season.
Sounds like a diplomatic benching and it’s about time!
I believe “soft benching” is the term they used
This kid isn’t ready. There’s nothing damning about that at all; some/most can’t make that immediate jump to NFL level of play.
However … keep him away from podiums/mics because he sounds like a delusional DB.
Not sure who made the decision to let vets walk and hand JJ the keys without a competition but … woof
No one puts 9 in a corner.
Well…OConnell certainly had a say….maybe his ego as the new “hot shot” HC caused him to be a little too optimistic about this guy who obviously was the benefactor of a loaded Michigan team that made him look better than he actually is…..
That’s going to be the issue with KOC being a long-term head coach. He’s a great OC and QB whisperer, but he let his pride get in the way when this kid needs AT LEAST three seasons of practice and observation from the bench.
I wonder when the league will catch on that QBs develop until they’re 27/28 yo. Some get it figured out faster but pushing them early risks breaking them.
Does McCarthy even have the arm strength to be a first-tier QB? The great ones usually had the ability to throw the ball anywhere on the field with near pinpoint accuracy and without floating it.
McCarthy hasn’t come close to looking like a 1st round pick but only the Jets and Titans have allowed sacks at more prolific rate. Until the Vikings OL starts providing some kind of support any QB Minnesota sends onto the field is going to struggle.
Some of that is on him. He’s really slow to process, and has awful pocket awareness and movement.
Yeah you would think, with Jefferson, Addison and Hockerson, someone would leverage their routes into an open window.
No excuses,,,,McCarthy had the benefit of a loaded Michigan team that made him look maddeningly better than he actually is….the kid just doesn’t have it…if he can’t succeed in O”Connels QB friendly offense, than he obviously doesn’t have it….
I agree but man he’s played 6 games with a C minus run game.
Yeah, and his off-season have been largely spent rehabbing, as well. That said, his long can Minnesota wait? I’ve said in a lot of articles that I strongly believed that Rodgers was the best choice for them this past offseasonc, but that’s obvious past and they were committed to McCarthy this year. I can understand that, as they needed to see what he could do, even if I also thought that he wasn’t really the right guy. The thing that they did wrong was not having a reliable veteran to back him up and ease him into starting. O’Connell’s background definitely helps, but it’s not the same as having a “big brother” type of mentor who is actually doing the prep work the same as the player is.
So, yes, the real question remains-how long does Minnesota wait? McCarthy has two, realistically three, more years to show not only improvement but really control over his role as the franchise QB. A decision is coming at the end of his deal on how much Minnesota wants to commit to that vision. So do they commit again next to McCarthy and some definite backups? Do they sign a veteran for a competition (if so, is it an actual competition, or a ”competition”?) Do they just pull the plug and start over if someone is available that they like in the draft?
I’ll bet that a veteran backup is coming, but either way, this missed time does make McCarthy’s time look much more tenuous than it did before.
Get Brady out of the booth (he’s a stiff-spoken turkey there anyway) and to the Metrodome to salvage the season and coach McCarthy.
But what about Nine?
Hey, I have my fall Sundays free for the last month now my winter season just cancelled. Emotional free!
Either Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones would have got the Vikings back into the playoffs. Kevin O’Connell had a golden reputation with QB’s. Mismanaging these two vets and the catastrophe season with Wentz will make it harder to recruit them in cheap.
Darnold was going to cash in long term for the success he had in Minny last year, but Danny Dimes could have been had cheap……instead, Minny/O’Connel opted for this kid who just doesn’t have it…..
Rodgers
Hes in terrible quarterback protocol. Zing!!
Badum tssss
I’d say this isn’t legitimate but he was taking huge hits all game.
Jetas much just want to throw up watching JSN maybe break 2k with Darnold.
This guy is looking like he’s a TIN MAN.
Brosmer needs a starting look anyway.
Not long ago, the Vikings looked like they would finally get back to a Super Bowl. Now it feels like they need to start over and rebuild from near the bottom.
As a Bills fan, I feel your pain, even if my team does make the playoffs.
I almost referenced the Bills in my reply. They have a few things in common but Bills are still in much better shape at QB. Their window for getting back to Super Bowl is also more open than Vikings one.
Stay down son!!!!
Give brosmer the nod regardless. Also, anyone saying it’s a soft benching you can find the okay he got concussed on near the end of the 4th. Hockenson lifts him up and you can tell her isn’t all there.