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From now to the end of their 2025 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings will be riding with J.J. McCarthy. Barring any injury, head coach Kevin O’Connell will get a long runway to see what he has in the second-year quarterback. After returning from injury, McCarthy went 14-of-25 passing for 143 yards, throwing two touchdowns while also rushing for one and an interception in the Week 9 win over the Detroit Lions. Nonetheless, it’s still too early to determine what the future holds for the Vikings’ signal-caller and what type of player he’ll become. However, former Minnesota head coach Mike Tice shared his comparison during an interview with O’Connell. “I love his intangibles,” Tice told O’Connell on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network. “I was thinking last night, getting ready for the interview, who he reminds me of; I did 35 years in the league and saw a lot of quarterbacks; I don’t know if this is good or bad, but he reminds me of [former Chicago Bears quarterback] Jim McMahon a little bit; I don’t know if that’s good or bad. He’s just a winner. “It’s hard to be a winner and have all of that talent. And he’s got it all. He’s a winner; he’s got the arm. He can run. He’s smart; he’s tough. He’s a great leader, and that’s obvious. Hats off to you guys for what a great pick, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he does going forward.” Vikings Team Backs J.J. McCarthy Although there are questions on the outside about whether the Michigan product can lead Minnesota to the playoffs, that’s not the case in the dressing room. Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio and shared his thoughts on McCarthy ahead of the Week 10 game against the Baltimore Ravens. “It’s funny you say that because for us in the locker room, we’ve seen it since Day 1, since J.J. McCarthy entered our building,” Cashman said about the young quarterback. “That guy is a killer and a winner, the ultimate competitor. What I saw out there [against the Lions], what our team saw, was someone who wanted it badly and was prepared, prepared for the moment, for his role, and to lead our team to victory. “I thought he did a great job commanding the offense with complete ownership and control of the game. It was very impressive. We’re going to need nine to keep operating like that at a high level.” Vikings QB J.J. Has One Major Flaw Right Now Even after the Vikings’ performance against Detroit keeps them in the playoff mix, FOX Sports broadcaster Daryl Johnston still has one big concern before he can fully buy into McCarthy. “The one thing that we need to see more from J.J. McCarthy is consistency throughout the game,” Johnston said on the latest edition of ‘One on One.“ “Two wins on the road in the division are very impressive. Chicago is a much different team this year than last year, and that was an impressive win, especially with how it started. To be able to hang in there and have your teammates believe you’re the guy who can still get it done after struggling says a lot. “He played at a high level in the back end of the game in Chicago and started really well in Detroit. I just want to see J.J. become a little more consistent with his play. He has great people to lean on, and that’s one of the big things for a young quarterback — getting in sync with the Justin Jeffersons and the other guys on offense, while also being able to rely on the run game a bit.”
