Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy ‘Ready to Go’ vs. Lions After Injury, ‘Feel Like Myself Again’

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is ready to return to the field for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

“Amazing. Ready to go,” McCarthy told reporters Wednesday. “I feel like myself again. I feel like I had those mobility things that I was concerned about going into last week and the prior weeks. So, yeah, ready to go.”

The 2024 first-round pick missed his entire rookie year after suffering a torn meniscus in the preseason.

McCarthy made his long-awaited NFL debut in Week 1, only for a high ankle sprain to have him back on the sideline by Week 3.

A month after the former Michigan standout originally went down, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Oct. 19 the Vikings were willing to be patient with his return. Adam Schefter of ESPN presented roughly the same timeline.

Still, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Oct. 4 that “a few have wondered whether Minnesota might be hiding behind McCarthy’s injury to buy more time after the first-year starter struggled in Week 2 against the Falcons.”

That that perception even exists is a sign of how bumpy McCarthy’s NFL introduction has been.

The 22-year-old was pretty anonymous until the fourth quarter in a Week 1 win over the Chicago Bears. Then he went 11-of-21 for 158 yards and two interceptions as Minnesota was beaten 22-6 by the Falcons.

Anybody who argued Carson Wentz is a better option under center quieted down after the Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz threw interceptions on successive drives, and the second was particularly bad as he heaved the ball downfield into double coverage.

Wentz then followed that up by going 15-of-27 for 144 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 23, when McCarthy served as the emergency quarterback and Max Brosmer was the backup.

If McCarthy is worse than that, then Minnesota really bet on the wrong horse when it let Sam Darnold walk as a free agent. But there is no question he is the team’s starter moving forward at this point with Wentz sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury.

At least fans are about to get a better idea of what the team has with the younger signal-caller, and he’ll get the on-field reps he needs to keep growing as a passer.