What has 'really surprised' Vikings' Kevin O'Connell about J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings have all but confirmed that second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be their 2025 Week 1 starter after he spent his entire rookie season recovering from the full meniscus repair he needed last summer. 

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell offered high praise for where McCarthy is in his development during ongoing organized team activities. 

"I've been really surprised by some of the things that he does know," O'Connell said about McCarthy, Vikings.com's Lindsey Young shared. "You're like, 'Man, we covered that in a 10-minute burst in Week 11 last year; how do you remember that?'"

A previous report detailed how the Vikings "included McCarthy in Saturday game plan meetings throughout" the 2024 season as Sam Darnold guided the club to a 14-3 record. Minnesota let Darnold leave via free agency in March, and the club ultimately passed on acquiring a veteran such as Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins, who could have served as a temporary starter. 

As The Athletic's Alec Lewis noted, O'Connell isn't yet ready to officially name McCarthy the club's QB1. McCarthy has never taken a snap in a meaningful NFL game, and it's possible that he could experience a physical setback between now and August. That said, it sounds like McCarthy has looked as good as new during springtime workouts. 

"You guys have heard me say it throughout the offseason, but there's been a lot of lonely hours where it's him and the training staff and the strength staff, and just the work he's put in to get his body where he's at, his arm feeling the way it is, and then of course, coming off the injury, his lower body feeling as good as it does to move the way he's doing," O'Connell continued during his comments about McCarthy. "But he looks great. He's feeling really good. Now we've gotta stack a lot of really good days of spring together."

A lot would have to go wrong over the next couple of months for O'Connell to name 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell the club's opening-day starter over McCarthy. A reunion between Minnesota and Cousins will technically remain possible as long as the 36-year-old is with an Atlanta Falcons team that's now starting 2024 first-round choice Michael Penix Jr.. Still, O'Connell seems eager to see what McCarthy can do against live defenses. 

"He’s done an unbelievable job," O’Connell added about McCarthy. "You forget the fact [that] this is his first runway since the injury. It’s a credit to the work he put in."