McCarthy is set to take over the Vikings offense after missing his rookie season with a meniscus injury.
The Minnesota Vikings appear to be handing the keys to coach Kevin O’Connell’s high-powered offense to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy in 2025, and Vikings starting running back Aaron Jones couldn’t be more excited.
“I’m excited to even be in the backfield with him, take some handoffs and have him throw it to me too,” Jones told the Good Morning Football crew on NFL Network Thursday morning.
.@Vikings RB @Showtyme_33 on his QB @jjmccarthy09, joining NFL’s USO Tour in Kuwait, his son and much more đź’ś pic.twitter.com/gRCfHOusdQ
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 10, 2025
McCarthy missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a torn meniscus. Now, with 2024 surprise star Sam Darnold off to Seattle, Minnesota is looking to get behind the player it selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. McCarthy is taking over an offense that finished ninth in points and 12th in yards last season. It’s an offense with a surplus of weapons, and with those weapons comes pressure to succeed. Jones says the 22-year-old Michigan product is ready.
“J.J.’s a winner,” Jones said. “You look from high school through his time in college, he’s lost one career game. He came in, in his short time (with the Vikings in preseason), he was balling. The preseason, he ended up getting hurt, unfortunately, but I think it might have been a quarterback battle if he didn’t get hurt.”
“He’s different here,” Jones added of McCarthy, gesturing to his head. “He’s a competitor. He wants to be great, and he’s hungry. So I think you’ll see it when he steps on the field.”
As the full-time starter for Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines squads in 2022 and 2023, McCarthy led Michigan to a combined 28-1 record, culminating in winning the 2023 national championship game. He threw for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions in Michigan’s undefeated 2023 season.
On what makes McCarthy different, Jones emphasized the young quarterback’s approach to everything.
“He’s very methodical in everything he does. He wasn’t able to play this year, so he compiles a list of all the defensive players throughout the league and ranks them. His attention to detail,” Jones said. “He’s fully dove in.”
As for how he feels heading into Year 2 with the Vikings, Jones talked about his overall comfort level after inking a two-year, $20 million deal earlier this offseason.
“It feels a lot different. I’ve had time in the system. I’ve had time to get accustomed to the city, to the community there as well. I can actually go and unpack my bags there now,” Jones said. “When you’re there, it’s really about nine months, so you’re like, ‘Do I really want to unpack this bag fully?’ So, now I can just settle in. Most importantly on the field, just another year in that system.