After sitting out the entire 2024 campaign with a knee injury, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has never been on the field for a regular-season snap in his NFL career. With this in mind, McCarthy entering Week 1 with a 73 overall rating in the latest edition of the iconic "Madden NFL" video game (28th among all quarterbacks) probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
However, some of the Vikings teammates who McCarthy currently rates lower than in "Madden 26" is something that could definitely be classified as weird, at the very least.
The "Madden NFL" franchise typically doesn't go by projections when determining player ratings, so actual proof on the field is needed from the Minnesota quarterback before he can climb the rankings. Still, McCarthy entering the 2025 season with the same overall rating in "Madden NFL 26" as Vikings third-string running back Ty Chandler seems incredibly odd.
J.J. McCarthy's "Madden 26" rating lower than multiple Minnesota Vikings backups
Yes, you read that correctly. Heading into Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, McCarthy and Chandler both have a 73 overall rating in "Madden NFL 26."
That's not the only Minnesota player who currently has an overall rating in "Madden NFL 26" that is head-scratchingly higher than McCarthy.
Some members of the Vikings' 2025 roster with overall ratings that are currently the same or higher than the young quarterback include Chandler (73), wide receiver Jalen Nailor (74), linebacker Eric Wilson (73), kicker Will Reichard (75), and punter Ryan Wright (75).
McCarthy, of course, will get plenty of opportunities to improve his overall "Madden" rating this season since Minnesota is trusting him to be its starting quarterback, despite not playing in a single regular-season game in 2024.
But with the luxury of being able to throw to a player with a 99 overall rating in "Madden 26" in superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson each week, signs point to McCarthy finishing the 2025 campaign with a higher rating in the video game than what it currently is.