J.J. McCarthy video should obliterate a tired Vikings talking point

It's very clear that J.J. McCarthy plays with a fire and passion whenever he's on the field, and this was on full display throughout his first season as a starter with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025.

Some of the 22-year-old quarterback's so-called "antics" have rubbed people the wrong way, but much of the negative reactions have come from people who perfectly embody the popular Grandpa Simpson yell's at cloud meme.

The only thing that really matters is whether McCarthy's Vikings teammates have a problem or not with how he plays the game, and any thoughts of players being annoyed by how the young quarterback acts should be put to bed after a recent clip showed him receiving some major praise from Minnesota fullback C.J. Ham during the team's Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers.

"Hey, you keep doing it, man. Let's go, man. You have a bright future, dawg. I loved playing with you, dawg. You’re a dawg. You are a dawg, man. I can not wait to see what you do, bro."

C.J. Ham destroys silly narrative surrounding Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

What Ham said to McCarthy this past Sunday should not be ignored. The longtime Vikings fullback has been one of the most respected players in the organization for almost his entire tenure with the team, and he's not someone who just hands out praise to anyone.

At times during the 2025 season, it seemed like some forgot that McCarthy is still only 22-years-old, and that there are quarterbacks who actually have enthusiasm when they play the game they love each week.

For whatever reason, it has felt as though some have expected McCarthy to exhibit the behaviors of a 35-year-old Kirk Cousins, when that was never going to happen.

Minnesota's current quarterback has a unique personality, and that's not a bad thing. It shows that McCarthy truly cares, and if we're being honest, it's a trait that some of the quarterbacks who suited up previously for the purple and gold probably could have used more of.

Instead of overanalyzing everything he does down to how he ties his shoes, let him breathe a little. We discovered in the last few months that McCarthy is going to need a bit more patience than expected, so let's make sure he gets it so that he's given the best chance possible to reach his potential.