It’s not been the greatest start to an NFL career for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and now, former NFL linebacker and analyst for FS1 Emmanuel Acho isn’t holding back on his feelings for the former Michigan Wolverine.
Emmanuel Acho Slams J.J. McCarthy as Vikings Eye Veteran QBs
For some background, McCarthy, 23, was drafted No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Vikings. He spent his rookie season sidelined after he had surgery on a torn meniscus. Then, in 2025, the Vikings named McCarthy the starter after Sam Darnold, who started for them in 2024, left for the Seattle Seahawks.
McCarthy found himself injured again, only playing 10 games for the Vikings, with backups like Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer also getting opportunities.
When he was on the field, though, it simply didn’t look right, despite a 6-4 record as a starter. He finished the season with a 57.6% completion rate, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, four rushing touchdowns, and six fumbles.
He also finished 37th in PFSN’s QB Impact metric with a grade of 64.5, which was worse than Joe Flacco’s (67.1). Now, with the Vikings expressing interest in several veteran quarterbacks, including Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Kyler Murray, and perhaps even Flacco, Acho didn’t have many positive things to say about the guy heading into his third NFL season.
Appearing on his YouTube show Speakeasy, alongside former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, here’s what Acho had to say:
“J.J. McCarthy was a bust when he left college. Let’s be real. J.J. McCarthy wasn’t great in college, and he hasn’t been great in the NFL. He had a great preseason game, and I jumped on the bandwagon of that preseason game, but let’s be for real, J.J. McCarthy, Anthony Richardson, I said neither of them were great in college. Why are we surprised neither of them have been great in the league?” Acho started.
McCarthy was accurate in his final season with the Wolverines, completing 72.3% of his passes en route to a national championship, but he only attempted 332 passes. That ranked 53rd in college football. For context, Michael Penix Jr. led the nation with 555 pass attempts.
“If you’re a college quarterback, and your team in college does not run through you, that says all that needs to be said. That collegiate team, correct me if I’m wrong, they run through Blake Corum? College. Not the pros. In college, a team should run through the quarterback. Period. Bijan Robinson was on our team, and we still ran through Quinn Ewers. You feel me? Like, I don’t remember who Sam Ehlinger played with at running back, but like, we still ran through Sam Ehlinger at Texas.
“In college, if you are elite, I don’t care about the coach; I don’t care, you run through the quarterback. Don’t think it’s just a [Jim] Harbaugh thing. Harbaugh had Toby Gerhart. Andrew Luck was still in Heisman conversations. And Toby Gerhart was in Heisman conversations. At the collegiate level, if you can’t run through the quarterback in college, what are we talking about?”
We’ll see if the Vikings make a splash for a veteran or ride it out with McCarthy in 2026.
