The narrative about Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy coming out of college was that he couldn’t throw. Yet, he went No. 10 overall and is now poised to be the starter for the Vikings after missing his entire rookie season due to a knee injury.
However, if McCarthy’s personal quarterback coach, Greg Holcomb, is to be believed, the quarterback nearly went No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, who eventually selected Caleb Williams.
How Close Did the Bears Come to Drafting J.J. McCarthy First Overall?
McCarthy’s college resume, which includes 49 touchdown passes to just 11 interceptions and a 27-1 record as a starter, was impressive enough to garner interest from the Bears’ general manager, Ryan Poles.
J.J. McCarthy to Trishton Jackson for the 45 yard TD!
And @JJettas2 LOVES it!
📺: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/QmEKsnabMz— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
According to Holcomb, Poles visited him at a quarterback camp he was holding for middle-school-aged players, and the focus of their conversation was McCarthy.
“He (Poles) was talking about how much they (the Bears) loved J.J.,” Holcomb told Alec Lewis of The Athletic. “And said to me, ‘I don’t think people realize how close we were to possibly taking him.’ Obviously, they love Caleb, but I thought that was interesting.”
It will always remain a case of what could have been, but the general consensus was always that Williams had a higher ceiling than McCarthy, and the Bears ultimately ended up making what appears to be the right decision, at least for now.
What Sets McCarthy Apart From Other Young Quarterbacks?
The only concern with Williams was that his on-field demeanor was criticized by many, but McCarthy was loved for his leadership qualities. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has hailed him as a leader in the locker room, though it remains to be seen what he brings on the field.
PFSN’s Jacob Infante predicted a breakout year for McCarthy in 2025 and believes he has the chance to establish himself as the Vikings’ franchise quarterback.
“Minnesota has set McCarthy up for success, revamping the offensive line and surrounding him with top-tier weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson,” he wrote.
“With Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback-friendly system and a strong supporting cast, McCarthy has the foundation to make an immediate impact and establish himself as the Vikings’ long-term answer at quarterback.”
Meanwhile, Williams, who showed flashes of brilliance in 2024 but largely struggled, is also poised to make a major jump in his sophomore season. The Bears have a new head coach in Ben Johnson and have made significant upgrades, particularly to the offensive line, to set him up for a big year in 2025.
