The 2025 NFL season is coming up quickly and the Minnesota Vikings are set to begin a new era of football with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy leading the way.
After seeing Sam Darnold walk in NFL free agency to sign a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, the Vikings opted to move forward with McCarthy under center. They passed on the opportunity to pursue Aaron Rodgers, making it clear that they believe wholeheartedly in the former Michigan star.
McCarthy was the clear quarterback of the future in Minnesota. When the team selected him No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, that much was made obvious.
Now, the question simply becomes, is McCarthy ready to play? He missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. The time he missed was extremely valuable time to learn from the sideline.
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Despite the missed time, the Vikings remain confident. McCarthy seems to be very confident in his ability to step on the field and play well.
Entering the 2025 NFL season, he’s also set to have a major distinction from the rest of the starting quarterbacks in the league.
As shared by NFL on CBS in a social media post, McCarthy would be the youngest starting quarterback in the league. Assuming he starts, that title would be his.
He is just 22 years old. To become a starter for a team that went 14-3 last season at that age is an impressive feat for the young signal caller.
One thing that McCarthy does bring to the field for Minnesota is a proven track record of winning. During his final season in college with the Wolverines, he led his team to a national championship. He did so while playing at a very high level.
In his final season at Michigan, McCarthy completed 72.3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also ran for 202 yards and three more touchdowns.
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Granted, they weren’t the biggest numbers of any college quarterback. However, he showcased the ability to take care of the football and still make plays.
No one knows what to expect from McCarthy’s first season as a starter in the NFL. He is being the keys to a very high-powered offenses with weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones supporting him.
It will be interesting to see if he is able to prove the Vikings right for turning to him in just his second NFL season.
The post Vikings’ JJ McCarthy Set to Have Major Distinction in 2025 appeared first on Newsweek.
