J.J. McCarthy has had a rough start to life in the NFL. After missing his entire rookie season following a torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in the preseason, it seemed like he was finally ready to take the reins of the Minnesota Vikings offense in his second year. His first game was a rough going for three quarters, but it seemed like he really found his groove in the fourth, leading a historic comeback to register his first win.
Unfortunately, Week 2 was a brutal outing for the youngster, as he finished with a passer rating of 37.5. To make matters worse, he suffered a high-ankle sprain during the game, which has caused him to miss the last two weeks of action. In his place, Minnesota has turned to Carson Wentz for serviceable production. However, with a Week 5 game against a vulnerable Cleveland Browns team on the calendar, will he return to the lineup?
Will J.J. McCarthy Play Against the Cleveland Browns?
The possibility appears highly unlikely, especially with how careful the Vikings are with his injury. With a recovery time of 2-6 weeks, there was always a possibility that he wouldn’t be ready for their game in London.
Moreover, against a ferocious Cleveland defensive line led by Myles Garrett, in conjunction with a battered and bruised Minnesota offensive line, the risk of further harm to McCarthy is going to be high.
As a result, head coach Kevin O’Connell might want to exercise some caution. As he spoke to the media on Wednesday, it seemed clear that the Michigan product wouldn’t be ready against the Browns.
“J.J. is working his way back and is entering the next phase of his rehab where he can get a little more active. Looking forward to getting him back on the field practicing with the team as soon as we can.”
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell addresses @jjmccarthy09‘s recovery process pic.twitter.com/imjl1ALZUS
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 1, 2025
Earlier in the week, Alec Lewis of The Athletic confirmed that the plan was to get him back on the field during practice by Thursday or Friday. However, when at the podium, O’Connell did not offer a definitive date for when fans would see him back under center.
“But at the same time, we want to be smart and let that high ankle fully heal, and then he can really start attacking it. Working on his technique and fundamentals and getting reacclimated, which I think he will do very quickly.”
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So far, the vision that Minnesota has sold about McCarthy hasn’t come to fruition. Averaging a shade over 150 passing yards per game, with two touchdowns through the air against three interceptions, has been a major problem.
However, the true depth of his struggles becomes clear with PFSN’s QB Impact, where he is the third-worst among 35 quarterbacks, ahead of only Cam Ward and Jake Browning. Wentz, on the other hand, has been markedly better, ranking 19th on the list.
In the short term, his absence could benefit the Vikings. However, with a first-time starter in their mix, the key has to be patience so the team has a clear idea of where they stand with their potential long-term solution.
