Vikings Makes Cryptic J.J. McCarthy Comment After Sam Howell Trade

The Minnesota Vikings are showing every indication that it’s J.J. McCarthy this upcoming season — however, head coach Kevin O’Connell remains hesitant to christen the 22-year-old as his starting quarterback.

In an interview with Rich Eisen, O’Connell was asked whether Sam Howell, acquired in a Day 3 draft trade from the Seattle Seahawks, is in competition with McCarthy.

O’Connell did not decline the notion of competition, nor call McCarthy his QB1 — but he did tease that McCarthy has taken more steps toward assuming the starting role.

“J.J.’s gonna be in a great position to assume and ascend in our organization, but right now, we really don’t have any feelings on competition as much as we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase,” O’Connell said. “Sam [Howell] will be a part of it. We’ve got to get Sam ready to play. We’ve got to get Brett Rypien ready to play.

“I know everybody is wildly concerned about these reps on air,” O’Connell added. “Let me put you at peace, Rich. When (McCarthy) is taking snaps, he’s taken plenty of snaps from Ryan Kelly, who happens to be a ten-year starting center in this league. So take that for what it’s worth. I don’t think Vikings fans should be worried about the amount of reps J.J.’s gonna get with the ones. We’re gonna have him ready to go.”

O’Connell Continues the Plan for McCarthy

When the Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 draft, they outlined a development plan for McCarthy — a criteria full of boxes he would have to check before he becomes the team’s starter.

That plan was deferred after McCarthy suffered a season-ending meniscus tear last August. However, he appeared to have progressed tremendously in the final weeks of training camp — momentum he has carried over this spring.

“He’s having a great start to his offseason program,” O’Connell said. “He’s bigger, he’s stronger. I can see it in his arm, I can see it in his movements. I can see just the ownership of playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He gained a lot from last year, albeit not how we all drew it up. But he’s already showing, early on here — today was our third day of phase two, on the grass — I think all his teammates feel it, I know the coaches do, myself included. Now, can we just build and build and progress towards when we get our first competitive opportunity come training camp.”

O’Connell: McCarthy is Owning It

While O’Connell has attempted to temper outside expectations by deflecting any notion that McCarthy is QB1, the Michigan product is already showing it to his coach.

“By owning playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings,” O’Connell said, “that’s footwork, that’s rhythm, that’s timing, that’s running the huddle, that’s running the show, that’s cadence, that’s identifying defensive structures that he’s gotta be responsible for getting us into the right plays. He’s owning it.”

Time will tell when O’Connell is ready to officially make the quarterback of the future the quarterback of now, but McCarthy appears to be on the right path to do that this summer.