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Kevin O’Connell suggests JJ McCarthy might be benched

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 2:09 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings are poised to get quarterback JJ McCarthy back from injury in Week 7, but coach Kevin O’Connell does not sound totally committed to the idea of giving him the starting job back immediately.

McCarthy has not played since the Vikings’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons due to a high ankle sprain , but returned to practice this week. Despite that, O’Connell left the door open to Carson Wentz getting the start against the Philadelphia Eagles, and was noncommittal on McCarthy immediately getting the starting job back.

Asked about the possibility of J.J. McCarthy back vs. Eagles, Kevin O'Connell says he's not ready to project where he might be by the end of the week. Carson Wentz (left shoulder) will practice this week. KOC in part: "We've got to prepare to try to win a game on Sunday."
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 13, 2025

McCarthy’s first two starts were a mixed bag, to say the least. He led an impressive comeback in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, but struggled against Atlanta and only threw for a combined 301 yards over two games. Wentz is 2-1 in his three starts with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Vikings are not giving up on McCarthy as their franchise quarterback, but O’Connell’s comment about needing to win games now is telling. For the moment, the team might think Wentz gives them the best chance to do that while the former 10th overall pick continues working behind the scenes.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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