Cam Tossing Bouquets To JJ

:heart:

With all the glowing and unanimous praise heaped on JJ, it makes me wonder if you can tell if a QB is going to be good or not just through his actions off the field. I think sometimes you can get an idea if you're able to read between the lines and filter out the obvious bullshit. I'd love to be able to go back and read what was said (and not said) about Mahomes and Allen as well as Josh Rosen, Zach Wilson and Mitch Trubisky.

Remember reading about how adjusted and mature Mahomes was when he came into camp, nothing he was seeing was too big for him.  Stories about growing up around the Yankee and other MLB clubhouses with the likes of Jeter and Rodriguez shagging balls at World Series warmups...

MaroonBells wrote:
With all the glowing and unanimous praise heaped on JJ, it makes me wonder if you can tell if a QB is going to be good or not just through his actions off the field. I think sometimes you can get an idea if you're able to read between the lines and filter out the obvious bullshit. I'd love to be able to go back and read what was said (and not said) about Mahomes and Allen as well as Josh Rosen, Zach Wilson and Mitch Trubisky.

Its soooo hard to project a QB coming out of college to the pro's. Just when you think you got a bead on it? Something happens seemingly out of the blue to obliterate all reason and logic. 

I'm too jaded for the praise, hyperbole to get my corpuscles jumping...

I gotta see it. Again and again and again b4 I believe.

Hearing that the heir apparent QB was attending both offensive and defensive meetings while aggressively pursuing rehab is always an amazing thing.

The expectations are bordering on ludicrous...but, the kid sounds up to the job.

Can't wait to see him back at work.

BigAl99 wrote:
Remember reading about how adjusted and mature Mahomes was when he came into camp, nothing he was seeing was too big for him.  Stories about growing up around the Yankee and other MLB clubhouses with the likes of Jeter and Rodriguez shagging balls at World Series warmups...

Interesting. I remember hearing good things about Trubisky in his first camp. According to AI, what finally sunk him was his accuracy and decision making. I remember questions about Zach Wilson's maturity, but I think those came after he struggled on the field--a kind of retrofitted justification I suspect. From what I can tell his camp reports were mixed, as were Rosen's. 

All three of those QBs had their play caller change after 1 or 2 years, which is almost always a recipe for disaster. One thing going for McCarthy is that should never happen. He's learning under the COTY, has the best OL this team has probably ever seen, his WR/WR/TE combo is probably the best in the league. The Vikings did everything right. And even though it didn't happen the way they wanted, they even gave the kid a year of quiet development, which I think most agree is the right thing to do.

JJ vs:

Maye (preseason)
Caleb
Penix

All b4 Mid-September...

I agree, embrace the opportunity....

I hope KOC stresses how he doesn't have to carry a team this loaded - not yet anyways.

StickierBuns wrote:

Honestly, its insane how JJ is going to get tossed directly into the fire right out of the gate. Nationally televised games. Only one choice for the kid:

The most Viking thing that could happen is he somehow get injured again. The expectations are quite high on this kid lol.

StickierBuns wrote:

I just have to laugh: many of us are just so scarred from being a Viking's fan for so long we expect shit to always hit the fan. JJ won't pan out, he'll get injured again, etc. I get it because shit HAS always hit the fan. Always. At some point. I don't begrudge anyone a 'see it and I'll believe it' attitude with folded arms. Hell, the most Viking thing would be to watch Uncle Sammy host a Superbowl trophy in Seattle and JJM not pan out....and this year's FA class be a massive failure. Who knows?

I however choose hope. I believe in this kid.

This has been the plan for awhile now. I have faith in the plan.

Lots of things necessary for a QB to succeed at this level. JJ has confidence, seemingly has the mental makeup and focus, has the arm. I guess what will determine the next step is if he has the mind, can he read defenses and make snap decisions under pressure. I know he supposedly thrived under pressure in college, but this will be the next level up.

Has a ton going for him, offensive coach, a team built to protect him (that is one huge factor in my mind) and all the above. Looking forward to it.

Bynum is all class and a great leader, I think this team underestimated how much he meant to the team on the field and in the locker room. Watching him in the clip really bums me out that he is no longer a Viking, think it will be the real miss of the off season.

StickierBuns wrote:

I just have to laugh: many of us are just so scarred from being a Viking's fan for so long we expect shit to always hit the fan. JJ won't pan out, he'll get injured again, etc. I get it because shit HAS always hit the fan. Always. At some point. I don't begrudge anyone a 'see it and I'll believe it' attitude with folded arms. Hell, the most Viking thing would be to watch Uncle Sammy host a Superbowl trophy in Seattle and JJM not pan out....and this year's FA class be a massive failure. Who knows?

I however choose hope. I believe in this kid.

It's not just being a Viking fan. It's also being a fan and follower of the draft for 45 years and knowing that roughly 70% of QBs taken in the 1st round end up either being a bust or a disappointment who doesn't live up to his draft slot. Viking fans have every reason to be cautious. 

That said, the Vikings did literally EVERYTHING right with this one. The research, the redshirt year, the development, the building of the surround, especially the OL, before he ever takes a snap, the focus on tools and intangibles over meaningless college production. He's going to have his ups and downs early on, but I will be very surprised if JJ is a bust or even a mild disappointment.

#Vikings President/Co-Owner Mark Wilf on JJ McCarthy:

“He has a gravitational pull as a leader… all things are pointing in the right direction and we are going to be supporting JJ to have him be the success that we want him to be.”

🎥: Vikings Mobile App pic.twitter.com/C7uTYO01Im

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) May 21, 2025