ESPN NFL on J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy enters camp as presumed starter; teammates cite youth and injury recovery as reasons for support.

McCarthy was understood to be the top quarterback when Vikings camp began in 2025, entering his third season at age 23 with only 10 games and 243 pass attempts in his professional career. Many players developed personal affinity for McCarthy during the previous two years, drawn by his connective personality and efforts to overcome a rookie season lost to injury. Vikings tackle Brian O'Neill expressed strong support, saying 'I love that kid. If I was judged after my first 10 games in the NFL, I'm not playing right now,' highlighting McCarthy's youth and limited sample size as mitigating factors in the quarterback competition.

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