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It’ll be a battle of the backups on Sunday in Minneapolis.
The Vikings likely won’t have quarterback J.J. McCarthy for Week 3 — at least — due to a high ankle sprain, head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters Monday, leaving veteran Carson Wentz as the expected starter.
Per ESPN, McCarthy is expected to miss 2-4 weeks, though he is not expected to need a stint on short-term IR, O’Connell added.
J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings fumbles the ball as he’s sacked by Zach Harrison #96 of the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter on Sept. 14, 2025. Getty ImagesMinnesota will host the Bengals, who lost star QB Joe Burrow for three months as he needs surgery to fix turf toe. Jake Browning will be under center for Cincinnati.
O’Connell delivered more bad news for his offense Monday as running back Aaron Jones is also likely out on Sunday due to a hamstring injury.
“We’re definitely dealing with some adversity right now, for sure,” O’Connell said.
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After McCarthy led a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback against the Bears in his first career start in Week 1, he struggled mightily in a Sunday night 22-6 home loss to the Falcons, going 11-for-21 with 158 yards, two interceptions and three fumbles, one of which he lost. He was also sacked six times.
The coach insisted McCarthy’s expected absence is purely medical related and not tied to his performance.
“No, not at all. In fact, it was pretty crushing this morning to hear that for me,” O’Connell said. “Look, for J.J., he’s in a long process, a long journey right now where there’s gonna be some ups and downs. As a team, I think our ability to play a little more consistent around him on the offensive side, these one-off critical errors that end up being totally out of J.J.’s control, we’ve got to find a way to eliminate those and limit them in any way possible.”
J.J. McCarthy reacts during the Vikings’ loss to the Falcons on Sept. 14, 2025. Getty ImagesThe 22-year-old, who was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus.
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