The Minnesota Vikings believed they had found their future franchise quarterback when they selected J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft. But three weeks into his sophomore year, fans are still waiting to see him deliver on that promise, and that wait won’t end in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
McCarthy showed promising flashes in his first two starts, but an injury has since sidelined him. Here’s a closer look at what happened to the young quarterback and when he could make his return to action.
J.J. McCarthy’s Injury Status Heading Into Week 5
McCarthy suffered a high right ankle sprain during the Vikings’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The injury occurred late in the third quarter when he scrambled for a 16-yard gain before being dragged down from behind by linebacker Kaden Elliss.
McCarthy didn’t enter the blue medical tent on the sideline because it was already occupied, so trainers evaluated him nearby and added athletic tape over his cleat. He managed to finish the game, but by Monday, he experienced increased discomfort, leading the team to shut him down.
He missed Minnesota’s Week 3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals and Week 4 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and has yet to return to practice.
While McCarthy has removed his walking boot and is progressing in his recovery, head coach Kevin O’Connell emphasized that the 22-year-old quarterback will not return until he is completely healthy and ready to handle a full week of practice.
“First and foremost, he’s got to get healthy,” he told reporters. “And then, I don’t think it’s one of those things where it’s, hey, he’s healthy the night before a game, we’re going to throw him out there and say, ‘Hey, go figure it out’ type of thing.”
The coach also noted that McCarthy missed a day of practice prior to Week 2 due to the birth of his first child, and that missing valuable reps impacted his readiness.
“When you’re in the phase of building up the 10,000 reps and 10,000 hours of what it takes to play the position at a very high level, which we know J.J. McCarthy is going to do, you can’t cut corners on that,” O’Connell added.
With McCarthy sidelined, veteran Carson Wentz will start against the Browns in London. Wentz led Minnesota to its best offensive performance of the season in Week 3, completing 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers in a dominant 48-10 win over the Bengals.
However, he was not able to lead the team to a win in the next game. In Week 4, Wentz threw for 350 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Vikings lost 24-21.
For now, Wentz is expected to remain the starter until McCarthy is fully cleared to return, which likely won’t happen until at least Week 7.
