Before getting inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, legendary former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen spent 12 seasons in the NFL, so he's seen it all when it comes to what makes a player successful at the pro level.
Allen has still been paying attention to the Vikings this year, so like all of us at home, he's also witnessed the struggles that J.J. McCarthy has been going through this season as Minnesota's starting quarterback.
During a recent episode of his "Fourth & Neat" podcast, the former Vikings pass-rushing great shared his thoughts on how McCarthy has performed so far this year.
"I know everybody saw Sam [Darnold] come in and they're like, 'Coach O'Connell is the greatest coach ever [and] J.J. is going to be the next best thing.'
Well, there's also a maturation process.
This is the NFL; everybody gets paid.
So, I try to hang my hat on what he's doing well. Granted, he has to play better down the stretch because there is an expectation of being in the playoffs, but the [NFC] North is cutthroat right now. The North is a beast.
And you know what? At the end of the day, if [the Vikings] feel that he's the guy that's going to take [them] to the top of the mountain, then he needs all the experience he can get, and the fans are going to have to be a little patient.”
Minnesota Vikings legend Jared Allen knows the development of J.J. McCarthy could take some time
Due to Minnesota winning 14 games in 2024 and the current construction of its roster, many fans were expecting McCarthy to come in and not have much trouble getting the team back into the playoffs this season, at the very least.
Few people expected him to be the second-coming of Patrick Mahomes in his first year as the Vikings' starter, but it's safe to say that not very many people likely thought he would struggle as much as he has this season.
Still, Allen's comments are a good reminder that patience is needed and should be given to McCarthy as he continues to learn how to play in the NFL.
The speed of every player's development at the pro level is not going to be the same, and more often than not, it's actually a process that involves at least one season of struggles.
McCarthy missed his entire first year with Minnesota due to a knee injury, and since he couldn't even practice with the scout team in 2024, he is basically in the middle of his rookie season in the NFL.
So for the rest of the 2025 campaign, Vikings fans looking to keep control of their sanity should probably just take Allen's advice and remain "patient" with McCarthy.