Expectations certainly fell flat for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy last season as the team's starting signal-caller. After missing his entire rookie year with the Vikings due to a knee injury, it was McCarthy's first opportunity to be a starter at the NFL level, and his inexperience was glaring almost every time he stepped onto the field.
Things haven't gotten much better for the young passer in the last few months, as Minnesota added longtime Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in free agency. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell claims there's going to be a competition for the QB1 job between Murray and McCarthy this summer, but most are assuming the role is going to go to Murray.
Despite last year's excitement about McCarthy popping like a balloon, some Minnesota fans apparently haven't given up on the kid.
According to the results of a recent survey conducted by The Athletic's Alec Lewis, 54.4 percent of the 3,088 people who responded to the survey still want McCarthy to be the Vikings' quarterback of the future.
Minnesota Vikings fans aren't ready to give up on J.J. McCarthy just yet
In response to the same question, 18.3 percent of the responders want Murray to be Minnesota's quarterback of the future, and 27.3 percent of the responders would rather the team's signal-caller of the future be someone other than Murray or McCarthy.
To some, these results might be a little shocking. But it shows that Vikings fans aren't ready to throw in the towel on McCarthy even after his first season as a starter didn't go as well as some were hoping.
In the same survey, 69.2 percent of 3,087 responders want Murray to be Minnesota's starting quarterback in the upcoming season, and only 29.3 percent of responders want McCarthy to open up Week 1 starting under center for the Vikings.
Based on the results of these two questions, it seems like there is a good number of Minnesota fans who want McCarthy to just sit back and learn from the sidelines during the 2026 campaign, and then get another shot to be the team's starting quarterback in 2027.
Is that a plan the Vikings are hoping to execute too, or are they hoping more that Murray succeeds in the upcoming season and re-signs in 2027 to stick around with Minnesota for another few years?
Add us as a preferred source on Google