Six starts in, and J.J. McCarthy's learning curve hasn't just been steep -- it's forcing the Vikings to confront the very real possibility that they've tied their future to the wrong quarterback.

Ten months ago, Kevin O'Connell was named AP NFL Coach of the Year after the Vikings won 14 regular-season games with one-time castoff Sam Darnold . The team decided to let Darnold walk and put the offense in the unproven hands of McCarthy, the 2024 first-round pick.

McCarthy missed his rookie season with a knee injury and has made just six starts in 2025 after missing time with a high ankle sprain and, most recently, a concussion suffered in a Week 12 loss to the Packers . It was Minnesota's third straight defeat, and yet more evidence that McCarthy isn't close to being a franchis

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