Wolverine Digest

'He needs to be out there': NFL Hall-of-Famer takes bold stance on JJ McCarthy

Given the he's the highest quarterback ever selected by the Vikings in franchise history, some notable figures want to see him in action immediately.

Chris Breiler

JJ McCarthy throws the ball at Vikings minicamp.
JJ McCarthy throws the ball at Vikings minicamp. / Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings selected quarterback JJ McCarthy in the first round (No. 10 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the highest QB ever selected by the franchise. Given how successful 21-year old rookie has been throughout his young career, it's no surprise that the expectations are considerably high for McCarthy in Minnesota. But heading into training camp, there is still some uncertainly when it comes to his place on the depth chart.

During the off-season, Minnesota also brought in veteran QB Sam Darnold from the San Francisco 49ers, and the reporting from training camp suggests that Darnold is the current favorite to be the starter this upcoming season. Although Darnold clearly provides a level of professional experience that McCarthy doesn't yet have, there are some who believe the rookie QB needs to be on the field immediately - including former Viking Hall-of-Fame wideout Randy Moss. During a recent segment on the "Up & Adams" show, Moss made his stance on the current QB situation crystal clear.

"My thing is, when we played, the first three guys they drafted... they're playing. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Now the fourth, fifth, or sixth round... we'll see. They may or may not see the field, maybe a special-teamer. First three rounds back then, we played. Now you're drafting guys first round, they're not even seeing the field. So if you ask me the question, yea, JJ...I don't care if he's not ready, he needs to be out there."

That's a pretty strong statement from a guy who was extremely successful in the league, and its one that will certainly resonate among the Vikings fan base. With training camp set to begin in less than two weeks, there's no doubt that all eyes will be on the QB battle between Darnold and McCarthy.

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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