The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for their first preseason game of the 2025 season at home against the Houston Texans on Saturday. J.J. McCarthy and the first-team offense are expected to play a little bit of the game but not a whole ton.
But at a recent training camp, a Vikings defender threw a big hit on running back Aaron Jones, and it led to a scuffle between the offense and defense. After the hit, McCarthy was the first one to go help Jones up and be that teammate Minnesota can rely on and look up to.
McCarthy had a meniscus injury last year after the Vikings' Week 1 preseason victory over the Las Vegas Raiders and had to miss the whole 2024 regular season. But with McCarthy now healthy and ready to rock and roll, fans should love what he had to say about helping Jones and having his back.
"Those are my brothers. And no matter who it is, especially 33, I'm the first guy in the fight, no matter what. They know that. I know they would do the same thing for me.
Just as a QB and former hockey player, I used to be the enforcer out there, believe it or not. I love that stuff. Letting my teammates know I got their back, because I know they got mine."
Minnesota Vikings offensive line should also have McCarthy's back and come to his defense as his protectors
With McCarthy having the mindset that he is a team player and will always have his guys' backs no matter what, the players up front protecting him will likely think the same way. Players like Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw, the veterans, always come to their quarterback's defense when something goes wrong.
Now, after adding Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, and Donovan Jackson to the mix earlier this year, they have five starting linemen who all know how to protect and come to the defense of their quarterback.
Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have adapted this philosophy with the team for years. No matter what side of the ball they play on, there always needs to be someone coming to a teammate's defense and standing up for them, just as McCarthy did for Jones.