After sitting out his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus suffered during the preseason, J.J. McCarthy is now on track to start for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025.
On Monday, McCarthy took a major step forward in his recovery by participating in the first day of the team’s offseason program. Encouragingly, he’s expected to take part without any physical limitations.
“I think he’s ready to hit the ground running as of today,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said.
McCarthy’s development this offseason will be critical as he gears up for his official NFL debut this fall. He’s been training with the team over the past three months, working to get his body in peak condition for the season. As of last month, he said he feels “100%.”
Although the Vikings haven’t officially named McCarthy the starter for 2025, he’s widely expected to lead the offense—especially after being slated to start in 2024 before his injury sidelined him for the year.
Currently, McCarthy shares the quarterback room with veteran Brett Rypien. At one point, the Vikings were linked to Aaron Rodgers as a potential addition, but ultimately opted to step away from that pursuit. While McCarthy appears to be the frontrunner, the team may still be exploring other veteran options to bolster the depth chart behind him.
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