"I am expecting a lot from him" - Justin Jefferson puts pressure on JJ McCarthy as Vikings QB eyes comeback from lost rookie season

Despite being injured last year and never playing a regular-season snap at the professional level, J.J. McCarthy is the starting quarterback of the Super Bowl hopeful Minnesota Vikings in 2025.

This offseason, the Vikings allowed QB Sam Darnold to leave the club via free agency, something that signaled Minnesota's desire to pass the torch to McCarthy and have the former Michigan Wolverines QB lead the team this year.

In the preseason last year, McCarthy suffered a knee injury, one that required surgical intervention and one that forced him to miss the entirety of the 2024 season.

Darnold had an amazing season last year while playing alongside one of the most talented offensive units in football. With not much turnover this year and arguably more talent and skill than ever before, expectations are high for McCarthy to jump right in and lead the team to success immediately.

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One of the individuals who has high expectations for McCarthy is Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Arguably the best WR in the NFL, Jefferson made clear that he is extremely excited to see what McCarthy can bring to the table next year. However, he also highlighted how he is expecting a lot from the QB.

The X profile, VikingzFanPage posted the clip of Jefferson's remarks on Saturday, quoting IMG Academy's Instagram.

"I'm excited for J.J.," Jefferson said. "I'm excited to see what he's going to do for our team. I'm definitely expecting a lot from him. So, it's definitely going to be exciting, just being a leader of the team, being a captain of the team. Seeing him go through the injury process, and him you know just waiting patiently for his chance, he's going to do his thing."

What can J.J. McCarthy bring to the Minnesota Vikings?

Despite being out injured for the 2024 season, reports from the Minnesota Vikings' practice so far highlight how J.J. McCarthy has been impressing his teammates and coaches.

In college football, McCarthy was known for his poise in the pocket, accuracy on passes over the middle of the field, his ability to move around the field and his high football IQ. However, there were times when McCarthy struggled with accuracy and arm strength, most prevalent when throwing outside the numbers or deep down the field on the outside.

With a full year to watch and learn the Vikings system, fans will be hoping that McCarthy can jump right in and succeed right away in 2025. With Jefferson, WR Jordan Addison, RB Aaron Jones, RB Jordan Mason and TE TJ Hockenson all on the roster, the Vikings have a Super Bowl-caliber offense.

The main question at this point is whether McCarthy is the right QB to lead this talented group deep in the playoffs.

Edited by Joshua Gillesby