T.J. Hockenson shares what stands out about J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings entered the summer with 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback after he spent his rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair he needed last August. 

During a recent chat with Scott Thompson of Fox News Digital, Minnesota tight end T.J. Hockenson explained why he's confident McCarthy will be the right replacement for Sam Darnold after Darnold guided the 2024 Vikings to a 14-3 record. 

"He’s got that switch," Hockenson said about McCarthy. "He turns that on when he gets on the field. You don’t really notice that when you're just hanging out and talking with him, but he really wants it. He really wants everything to be perfect, and he’s a perfectionist for sure, which is awesome. ...You know, [the ball] zips on you, and he can spin it. It's been a lot of fun to see him in [organized team activities], and [I] can't wait to get out there with him in camp and throughout the season."

A report from this past winter detailed how the Vikings "included McCarthy in Saturday game plan meetings" throughout the 2024 season as the 22-year-old completed a red-shirt rookie campaign. Meanwhile, Hockenson spent the opening eight weeks of the season recovering from the torn ACL and MCL he suffered in December 2023. 

Over 10 games, Hockenson recorded 41 receptions for 455 yards as part of the offense led by Darnold. 

Darnold received a three-year, $100.5M contract from the Seattle Seahawks shortly after Minnesota let him reach free agency. Hockenson seems to be among those within the Vikings who believe McCarthy can match or even better Darnold's accomplishments from last season. 

"That's my dog," Hockenson added about McCarthy while speaking from the annual Tight End University summit. "He is one of the best people I have been around. Just a young guy that's hungry and wants to learn. He wants to get better. I mean, he’s making a trip down here soon, and so he wants to be great in this league, and I respect that, and he is willing to do the things and the hard things it takes to be great." 

Whispers continue to suggest the Vikings may view signing veteran Ryan Tannehill or trading for Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons as "break-glass-in-case-of-emergency" options in the event that McCarthy sparks concerns with his performances from the start of training camp through Minnesota's final preseason game. McCarthy will look to silence such chatter when the Vikings open the regular season with a "Monday Night Football" matchup at the rival Chicago Bears on Sept. 8.