Robert Griffin III rips Vikings QB situation: ‘Trade JJ McCarthy, give him a chance’

JJ McCarthy hasn’t had much luck in his two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. On the Outta Pocket podcast, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III called for the Vikings to trade McCarthy.

“Right now, it feels like JJ McCarthy just can’t catch a break,” Griffin said. “He can’t catch a break with injuries. He can’t catch a break with veteran quarterbacks wanting to come in and work with Kevin O’Connell; Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, now you got Kyler Murray.

“… I’m a believer in JJ McCarthy. They call him ‘Nine,’ his alter ego. I know he’s had a lot of doubters and a lot of haters, but you don’t bring in a talent like Kyler Murray if you truly believe in JJ McCarthy. Trade JJ McCarthy, give him a chance to go grow somewhere else.”

The Vikings selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy didn’t see any action in his rookie campaign after suffering a meniscus tear in the preseason.

After the 2024 season, Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency and opened the door for McCarthy to take the reins of the Vikings’ offense. McCarthy started the Vikings’ first two games of the season, but suffered a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss Minnesota’s next five outings.

McCarthy struggled when he returned. Worse, injuries continued to pile up for the former Michigan standout. He missed one game due to a concussion and suffered a small hairline fracture in his throwing hand upon his return.

With McCarthy’s health and ability in question, the Vikings signed former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray to a one-year deal this month. It’s unclear who will start for the Vikings, but Robert Griffin III doesn’t believe McCarthy should stick around to find out.

“JJ, seems to be the odd man out, and the storylines around him in Minnesota seem like they’ve already closed. Open it back up for him,” Griffin said. “Allow him to go somewhere else. Allow him to have his Sam Darnold moment, his Baker Mayfield moment, and I know that might be tough for the organization to swallow, but it’s the best thing for JJ McCarthy.”

At only 23 years old, McCarthy has many days ahead of him. However, he’ll only be able to reach his potential if he can stay on the field. Griffin is wishing the third-year QB all the best.