Everyone current member of the Minnesota Vikings has quarterback J.J. McCarthy's support, whether they are on offense or defense.
Recently extended Vikings safety Josh Metellus spoke with CBS Sports a few days ago, sharing his thoughts on the defense in Minnesota, and the conversation also touched on his team's new starting quarterback. Metellus gave his support to McCarthy, saying that he does not have to do everything by himself.
"When you've got a guy like that, you don't want him to feel too much pressure. So the roster is built for him to not feel like he has to be Superman. We got Justin Jefferson. We got Jordan Addison. We got T.J. Hockenson. We got an amazing O-line. We got two great running backs. We got great special teams, great defense.
So he just has to go out there and do what 'KO' tells him to do and let his personality, his play, elevate the offense, not go out there thinking he has to make everybody miss and throw the ball 90 yards down the field. He just has to stick to the scheme, trust his coaches, and let everything else take over."
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy has everything he needs to be successful in 2025
Vikings fans will be okay with the broken record being played that the offense has so many weapons around McCarthy for him to avoid failure. The questions will be brought up before the season begins as to whether he can handle the quarterback role, but losing just one game in 28 starts with the Michigan Wolverines should be enough to at least quiet down the doubters.
Last year, McCarthy had only one chance to showcase what the future holds, and it looked promising in a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns, but also had one interception, before suffering a torn meniscus that cost him the 2024 season.
McCarthy will have three new starting offensive linemen and a strong one-two running back combination in Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, who will carry the ball. Oh, and he has the best wide receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson, along with one of the top young pass catchers in Jordan Addison.
After gaining 346.9 yards per game a season ago, it's easy to see that this offense has the potential to do even better in 2025. They have one of the best pass-catching groups, complemented by a solid running game, which will make Minnesota a more well-balanced unit with McCarthy under center.
The year on the bench was the best thing for McCarthy as it gave him time to learn the NFL and the offense before taking over the job himself. Vikings fans hope he won't get injured ever again, but that time to learn was critical to his development.
Minnesota is a team to watch out for in 2025, as they could explode onto the scene thanks to McCarthy and the Vikings' stellar offense, which highlights the franchise.