JJ McCarthy

StickierBuns wrote:
I don't see KOC benching JJ....I think JJ needs to work through his issues on the field. Mentally he wants to do well but you won't be breaking him with any heat he's fading from fans or any pressure to succeed. If he were to get benched, that would be a very very bad sign for his future. Not saying it can't happen, but I'm saying you can put a wrap on the JJ McCarthy era if that happens....and KOC would be telling the world that. Sitting someone doesn't help and it never has. IMO, its the last branch you grab before hitting the bottom on a fall....and it won't stop the fall. KOC would just be putting JJ out of his misery doing something like that and they'd move on.

JJ is going to succeed or fail on the field, taking reps.

100%.  It’s time to recognize it’s JJ or bust, at least for the rest of the year and likely 2026 as well. Probably we should get younger on D once eliminated this year to give JJ every opportunity.

Bullazin wrote:

100%.  It’s time to recognize it’s JJ or bust, at least for the rest of the year and likely 2026 as well. Probably we should get younger on D once eliminated this year to give JJ every opportunity.

Benching McCarthy for someone named Max Brosmer after 6 games is a take I really thought I'd have to go to reddit for lol.

I'd love to hear how benching him is going to make him mentally stronger, with citations on previous examples where the strategy has been so effective. If fans want to kick him to the curb that's fine but doing it under the guise of helping McCarthy seems a bit over the top.

Looking for a bright spot on J.J. McCarthy?

🏈Threw his average pass in 2.84 seconds

🏈Encountered a 18.8% pressure rate

🏈Took zero sacks

All season-bests. All related.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) November 17, 2025

People want a long-term answer at quarterback without going through the development process it takes to get one.

There are some things you can't speedrun. Sorry. https://t.co/KkzDrbqa2v

— The Daily Norseman (@DailyNorseman) November 17, 2025

Vikergirl wrote:
https://x.com/DailyNorseman/status/1990408414657147253?t=wwPazzKzyvtX3I0BZT3hig&s=19

I get that, but I look at it like they've surrounded him with talent and the offensive line protected him all day yesterday. He just sprayed the ball all over the field. I haven't seen that kind of inaccuracy since Tarvaris Jackson was peppering the turf in the Metrodome. I don't care if it's game 1 or game 100, there's no way to justify how he played yesterday

pattersaur wrote:

Benching McCarthy for someone named Max Brosmer after 6 games is a take I really thought I'd have to go to reddit for lol.

I'd love to hear how benching him is going to make him mentally stronger, with citations on previous examples where the strategy has been so effective. If fans want to kick him to the curb that's fine but doing it under the guise of helping McCarthy seems a bit over the top.

iirc The falcons benched Penix for 1 game earlier this year and it didnt ruin him.  I am sure if I went back through the history books I will find others that have been set down for a game or two when they cant get out of their own way.

StickierBuns wrote:

He got benched in a blowout loss to the Panthers, and although he didn't play well, that wasn't the reason. They didn't want him injured. Which makes sense considering he's now injured and done for the year. Cousins attempted like 7 passes after he came in toward the end.

call it whatever you want,  he got benched and didnt suffer for it.

Knucklehead wrote:


He was an accurate passer at Michigan especially the middle field throws that he's missing now. That gives me hope that whatever is ailing him now is fixable.

I guess its pretty much this for fans with the pitchforks:

Phil Mackey ?
@PhilMackey
·
13h
The biggest question for all Vikings stakeholders -- ownership, front office, Kevin O'Connell... even fans and media -- is this:

Do you have the patience and stomach to wait for the JJ McCarthy development process to play out?

Impossible to determine after five games, despite what many of you knee-jerkers will say.

It might take 20-30 games to see a more definitive answer. That gets us into 2027.

Are you OK riding that rollercoaster, swallowing hard on the multi-INT games, the sailed passes, etc.?

OR do you bail... and either hope to strike gold more quickly with another drafted QB... or hit the Sam Darnold honorary discount buy-low bin again?
[hr]

comet52 wrote:


As for JJM, I remain perplexed by what I wrote about at the start of this thread.  Why does he suddenly have touch on the ball in the last two minutes after firing mostly errant, uncatchable heaters all afternoon?    Why is he throwing like that in the first place?   Mr. QB Whisperer needs to get his head out of his butt and get things on track... imho.

Geoff Schwartz
@geoffschwartz
·
16h
McCarthy playing well in the two minute drill… teams with young QBs who are struggling in games should use tempo more often. The hurried nature of the two minute drill forced players to play faster and less thinking.

The Brohioan
@TheBrohioan
·
19h
When our WRs are wide open our QB can't hit em and when our QB throws a dot the WRs can't catch em...

Tyler Forness
@TheRealForno
·
18h
J.J. McCarthy will make a throw you'd expect from a high school freshman and follow it up with a high level NFL throw that makes you go wow. He's such a roller coaster

StickierBuns wrote:

Because its for a different reason. Listen, I know you want to see Brosmer, but be careful for what you wish for. The kid needs live game reps and sitting on the bench isnt going to help with that.

VikingzFanPage
@vikingzfanpage
·
58s
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on JJ McCarthy:

“He's made of the right stuff. He's gonna keep working at it, we're gonna go back to work and continue to find every avenue to try to help build the consistency to his mechanics. And then I firmly believe the accuracy will come from that.”

I am ready and willing to sit through a learning curve,  but what we are seeing isnt showing me much of a curve.  JJs accuracy was off in his lone preseason appearance,  off in his regular season performances ( although not as bad agains the lions)  and has been absolutely inexcusable the last 2 weeks,  if anything I would say he is regressing greatly in that department.  if he needs chaos and urgency to perform better, then maybe having somebody threatening his job would be the motivation he needs.

I am not making excuses for millionaire athletes,  but perhaps the lack of focus from our receivers is the doubt that the ball is even going to be catchable when its thrown their way.

StickierBuns wrote:

Because its for a different reason. Listen, I know you want to see Brosmer, but be careful for what you wish for. The kid needs live game reps and sitting on the bench isnt going to help with that.

VikingzFanPage
@vikingzfanpage
·
58s
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on JJ McCarthy:

“He's made of the right stuff. He's gonna keep working at it, we're gonna go back to work and continue to find every avenue to try to help build the consistency to his mechanics. And then I firmly believe the accuracy will come from that.”

^^^

I firmly believe this is 60% of the problem...The rest of it? Is in between his ears. 

I do give KOC credit for running the ball more frequently yesterday and it looked like the game plan was simplified some too...More and easier throws/reads.

Bullazin wrote:

100%.  It’s time to recognize it’s JJ or bust, at least for the rest of the year and likely 2026 as well. Probably we should get younger on D once eliminated this year to give JJ every opportunity.

I agree, McCarthy will finish the full season and most likely all of 2026 and 27 if he is at a least average in 26.  I suspect the FO will hedge their bet with a low cost veteran QB to backup McCarthy in 26.  They may keep Brosmer as the third string QB or take a flyer on in a mid-draft choice.  The table is set for McCarthy.

just because I was bored.... Terry Bradshaw and John Elway were both benched as rookies, and they turned out ok. (Googled HOF QBs that were benched as rookies)

so lets put the kid on the path to canton and sit his ass down! :P

I don't see KOC benching JJ....I think JJ needs to work through his issues on the field. Mentally he wants to do well but you won't be breaking him with any heat he's fading from fans or any pressure to succeed. If he were to get benched, that would be a very very bad sign for his future. Not saying it can't happen, but I'm saying you can put a wrap on the JJ McCarthy era if that happens....and KOC would be telling the world that. Sitting someone doesn't help and it never has. IMO, its the last branch you grab before hitting the bottom on a fall....and it won't stop the fall. KOC would just be putting JJ out of his misery doing something like that and they'd move on.

JJ is going to succeed or fail on the field, taking reps.

More up tempo, Kevin. JJ can't get in his head if he doesn't have time to. 

J.J. McCarthy thrived on the final drive and had his best consistency with his mechanics. Utilizing tempo might the key to maximizing him in the short term pic.twitter.com/lR7QnmoIpX

— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) November 17, 2025

I think you'd consider benching JJM if he was getting beat up back there and he was getting gunshy or if you think a break would really help him improve. For JJM, I think he mostly needs more live reps, and he probably needs KOC to simplify the amount of on field decision making he has to do. I don't think you take him out just to send a message or anything, and I don't think you take him out to try and win more games in a season that is already lost. The last thing KOC needs is to split his attention between 2 developmental QBs and their individual development needs.

medaille wrote:
I think you'd consider benching JJM if he was getting beat up back there and he was getting gunshy or if you think a break would really help him improve.  For JJM, I think he mostly needs more live reps, and he probably needs KOC to simplify the amount of on field decision making he has to do.  I don't think you take him out just to send a message or anything, and I don't think you take him out to try and win more games in a season that is already lost.  The last thing KOC needs is to split his attention between 2 developmental QBs and their individual development needs.

If you're taking him out to "send a message" you're making a huge mistake. You only take him out if you think he's starting to develop bad habits.

JimmyinSD wrote:


iirc The falcons benched Penix for 1 game earlier this year and it didnt ruin him.  I am sure if I went back through the history books I will find others that have been set down for a game or two when they cant get out of their own way.

He got benched in a blowout loss to the Panthers, and although he didn't play well, that wasn't the reason. They didn't want him injured. Which makes sense considering he's now injured and done for the year. Cousins attempted like 7 passes after he came in toward the end.

JimmyinSD wrote:


call it whatever you want,  he got benched and didnt suffer for it.

Because its for a different reason. Listen, I know you want to see Brosmer, but be careful for what you wish for. The kid needs live game reps and sitting on the bench isnt going to help with that.
[hr]
VikingzFanPage
@vikingzfanpage
·
58s
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on JJ McCarthy:

“He's made of the right stuff. He's gonna keep working at it, we're gonna go back to work and continue to find every avenue to try to help build the consistency to his mechanics. And then I firmly believe the accuracy will come from that.”

JimmyinSD wrote:


I am ready and willing to sit through a learning curve,  but what we are seeing isnt showing me much of a curve.  JJs accuracy was off in his lone preseason appearance,  off in his regular season performances ( although not as bad agains the lions)  and has been absolutely inexcusable the last 2 weeks,  if anything I would say he is regressing greatly in that department.  if he needs chaos and urgency to perform better, then maybe having somebody threatening his job would be the motivation he needs.

I am not making excuses for millionaire athletes,  but perhaps the lack of focus from our receivers is the doubt that the ball is even going to be catchable when its thrown their way.

I don't think anyone's opinion about JJ is wrong or bad. But I think what fans do pretty well is read into things that aren't there. I'm guilty of it. What he needs are more game reps so he can not think about his mechanics so much IMO. Its causing his inaccuracy. Practice won't cut it because it doesn't have the intensity of live games, and neither will sitting the bench which accomplishes nothing positive.

I don't think anyone is disagreeing he sure is looking bad. I can't say I'm not concerned....even started a thread about it. But there is good there, also.

I called it early and often, years ago: much of this fanbase, many of whom cry for a high-pick QB in every draft, don't have anything like the patience to watch one develop.

There's gonna be a lot of bumps in the road, and there can be "steps back" games...because, that's the rookie version of what's called a "bad game" for veterans.

Those bumps are somehow unforgiveable once a rookie has a few starts, but more often waved off with a veteran. It's backwards, except the basic understanding that humans have bad games/streaks.

The whole "the most popular player is the backup QB" bit is way too true. Calling for Brosmer to relieve an injured Wentz? Reasonable. Calling on him as a "start over" a handful of games into starting over with JJM?!? That's basically screaming that there's no acceptable development for a Vikings QB, many fans are too used to the team being the discarded veteran QB "last chance team".

My suggestion for the people that can't stand watching a kid fighting to grow into the player we've been clamoring for? NHL, NBA, Tiddlywink touneys if that can slow down the constant calls for the "next QB in line". Seriously, folks, spare yourselves and the rest of us....