The Minnesota Vikings are going to have a new starting quarterback for the 2025 season. Minnesota’s starter from last season, Sam Darnold, had a resurgent season in 2024, which he parlayed into a deal with the Seattle Seahawks following their trade of Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
While there have been whispers about the possibility of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers signing with the Vikings for one season, all signs point toward young quarterback J.J. McCarthy stepping into the role after a preseason knee injury cost him what should’ve been his rookie season last year.
Now, McCarthy is feeling healthier, and his confidence is high entering his second NFL training camp.
“I know I’m ready to start,” McCarthy said, according to ESPN, “because of all the work I’ve put in and just the confidence in my skills and abilities and just being able to do my job. And to simplify things to the best of my ability, every single day.
“And just to take it one day at a time, one play at a time. And I have a tremendous coaching staff, a tremendous group of guys around me that I can lean on and they can lean on me.”
McCarthy also addressed his weight loss, which had some fans worried he wouldn’t be ready for the start of the season.
“[The weight loss] was just the combination of not moving at all, not working out,” he said. “I’m somebody that needs to work out in order to put on weight. … It’s amazing how fast it kind of peaks and valleys, but I’m feeling like I’m in a really comfortable spot and [will] just kind of maintain it from here.”
Per McCarthy, he is in competition with himself.
“I’ve got to win [the job] with myself every single day,” he said. “It’s a competition with myself and obviously it’s just putting your best body of work, my best body of work, out there. But it comes with looking myself in the mirror every night and [saying], ‘Did I get better?’
“And if I keep this non-comparative aspect to it, and just really focus on being the best version of myself, that’s really where I’m aiming and that’s where I’m trying to go.”
