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The 2025 NFL season did not go to plan for the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota is 8-8 heading into Week 18 and has already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Vikings did not get consistent quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy this season, which contributed to this season’s lackluster result.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini speculated on the future of McCarthy in Minnesota during a recent article.
“Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the Minnesota Vikings next season, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be the starter,” Russini wrote. “The Vikings were looking for emphatic proof this season that he’s the long-term answer, and because of a series of injuries, they never got it. Over the next few months, sources say, Minnesota plans to explore established options via trade or free agency to strengthen its quarterback room.”
McCarthy has had a turbulent beginning to his career. He missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus injury he suffered during the preseason.
The second-year quarterback got his first real NFL action in 2025 and has very streaky. He enters Week 18 with 1,450 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in nine games played.
Minnesota is frustratingly close to making the playoffs. If they beat Green Bay in Week 18, then Minnesota will finish just half a game shy of making the postseason.
While the Vikings will do their homework on veteran quarterbacks, they are still committed to McCarthy. They will not move on from him this season.
“Though Minnesota is open to bringing in veteran competition for the 22-year-old, O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have no plans to move on from the quarterback they traded up to draft less than two years ago,” Russini added. “McCarthy’s continued development will be a central storyline for the Vikings as they enter an offseason filled with questions surrounding their aging and expensive roster.”
McCarthy is set to start in Week 18 despite dealing with a hand injury. That will give him one last chance to show some progress during the 2025 season.
It will be fascinating to see how the Vikings approach the 2026 offseason after such a disappointing 2025 campaign.
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