It feels just like yesterday that everyone was praising Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy for his three-touchdown performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. All of a sudden, everyone is off the McCarthy hype train a bit too quickly.
After having a third two-interception game in his five starts during the season, there has been a lot of chatter about whether McCarthy is a bust and not going to work out. Even some think the Vikings should move on from the young second-year. One NFL commentator, Brett Kollmann, has a clear message for those who feel that way.
"Just remember while you're watching young quarterbacks around the league right now. Particularly, the ones that are struggling, this is an entirely new sport for them. Time cannot guarantee that they will develop, but I'll tell you this much: swapping out one young, overwhelmed quarterback for another young, overwhelmed quarterback probably will not produce the results you think it will."
"Look, my point is the grass is not always greener on the other side, but it is greener when you water it. So, if you have a young passer that shows flashes of brilliance in between the boneheaded mistakes, like maybe don't be so quick to move off of him. Okay? Maybe just water your damn lawn. Is that so hard?"
Regarding the JJ McCarthy discourse, this excerpt from today's video sums up my thoughts on the matter. pic.twitter.com/snTL8AiocQ
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) November 20, 2025
McCarthy has shown flashes of greatness in his play
Yes, there is 100% acknowledgement that McCarthy has not been great this season. He has struggled with accuracy and turnovers. Let's remember one thing: he's only started five games in his career.
In those five starts, McCarthy has thrown for 842 yards and six touchdowns to eight interceptions with a completion percentage of 52.9%. He's also rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
Football fans shouldn't forget the good moments he's had this season. His three touchdowns in the second half against the Bears in Week 1 led the team to a comeback win. Don't forget about the three touchdowns he scored against the Detroit Lions that led to a 27-24 victory last month.
What does that show? He's got grit. When the lights shine bright, McCarthy steps up. He threw a touchdown with under a minute to go in the Week 11 loss to the Bears, but if it hadn't been for a 56-yard kickoff return allowed, it might have been a whole different story for McCarthy this week.
If the Vikings had won that game, then the storyline would be "McCarthy is clutch", not "the Vikings need to move on from McCarthy." One play can change everything.
McCarthy has a lot to work on and grow from, but moving on after five games is wild. Give the young man a chance to develop under a great football mind like Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, and let's see where he is when the season ends.