'I'm very excited': Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell provides major J.J. McCarthy update

The Minnesota Vikings had an incredible 14-3 regular season, but things went downhill in a hurry at the end of the year. The Vikes lost their last two contests — a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 with a playoff bye and the NFC North crown on the line, followed by a 27-9 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.

Sam Darnold did an admirable job as the Vikings starting quarterback for most of the year but fared horribly in the final two contests. In the last two games, Darnold threw for just one touchdown and had one interception while getting sacked 11 times. Despite Darnold ranking No. 5 in passing yards (4,319) and No. 5 in passing touchdowns (35), he may not be back with Minnesota in 2025. 

Darnold is set to be a free agent, and there's a strong chance the Vikings move on from him and give the keys to the offense to J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy, who won a national championship at Michigan, was selected No. 10 overall by Minnesota in the 2024 NFL Draft but missed his entire rookie season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in August. 

On Thursday, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell gave his thoughts on McCarthy.

“I’m very excited about where J.J. is at,” O’Connell said, per The Athletic's Alec Lewis. “He’s returned to on-field training." 

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted that he was impressed with how McCarthy looked during on-field training. 

“I was in there, and he was in there doing cool quarterback things. He was in there. Looks great. Excited. You talk about a kid who is obsessed with football and loves being around the game," Adofo-Mensah said at a news conference. "We’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited about the offseason. It’s a big offseason. And then we’ll continue from there.”

Adofo-Mensah said he can't know anything for certain about whether McCarthy will be QB1 for the Vikings in 2025, but it's clear he believes in McCarthy's abilities. 

"That position is about talent and preparation, and he’s got those things in spades. If that’s the course of action we decide, we’ll go in there confidently," Adofo-Mensah said.

All McCarthy did in college was win, and the Vikings hope to get that from him as a pro. McCarthy had a 27-1 starting record for the Michigan Wolverines. In addition to winning the national championship, McCarthy was also the 2024 Rose Bowl offensive MVP and a first-team All-Big Ten selection.