Sportsnaut
In a perfect world, J.J. McCarthy would start all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings this season. Unfortunately, like his rookie season, injuries have gotten in the way.
McCarthy, now in his second season, has been limited to just six of the team’s 11 games. Carson Wentz started the other four, but he’s been ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury that requires surgery.
Now, McCarthy may be in danger of missing his fifth game of the season while dealing with concussion symptoms that arose after Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings have not been able to pinpoint a specific instance where McCarthy may have gotten hurt, but the symptoms first emerged while on the plane ride home from Wisconsin to Minnesota.
The only other quarterback on the Vikings’ roster is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who is actually two years older than McCarthy, the youngest QB in the NFL. The Vikings have not revealed McCarthy’s official status, but he’ll need to clear the league’s concussion protocol before being allowed back on the field. That could keep him out of action on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Of course, some might suggest the Vikings are actually using McCarthy’s injury as a way to bench him after his poor play. He’s committed a turnover in each game he’s played, and is coming off three consecutive two-interception games. Yet, the Vikings have a few days to determine whether they’ll be rolling with McCarthy again or giving Brosmer the first start of his NFL career.
Related: NFL Power Rankings 2025: Week-by-Week NFL Evaluations of All 32 Teams
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