JJ McCarthy’s dreams to play in the NFL were dashed eight months ago. He was the shiny new investment. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, fresh off a national title run at Michigan. A 72.3% completion rate and a reputation for winning with poise beyond his years. He was supposed to ignite the Minnesota Vikings’ next era with zip, swagger, and a cannon for a right arm. Instead, the rookie watched from the sidelines. As Sam Darnold guided Minnesota to a 14-win season after tearing his meniscus in his preseason debut.

But the Michigan national champion is eager to write his comeback tale in purple and gold now that he is fully recovered.

When asked if he’s ready to begin, McCarthy said bluntly in the interview this week: “I know I’m ready to start.” That six-word statement, spoken by a player who has patiently waited for his chance, reverberated throughout the Vikings base. He emphasized the chemistry he’s building with teammates and coaches, stressing his confidence, preparation, and desire to lead.

McCarthy expanded on it: “All the work I’ve put in… the confidence in my skills and abilities… just taking it one play at a time. I’ve got a tremendous coaching staff and group of guys around me that I can lean on, and they can lean on me.”

The ‘no excuses’ era of JJ McCarthy’s NFL career has officially begun, and he is welcoming it with assurance and good health. The Minnesota Vikings shared a positive update on X on Tuesday, along with a video of McCarthy with the following caption: “Feeling 110% @jjmccarthy09.” In the clip, the second-year QB praised the medical staff: “Tyler, Matt, and the whole crew… did a tremendous job with me feeling like a 110%… I feel better than I did before I got hurt eight months ago.”

McCarthy’s recovery comes at the perfect time. He seems prepared to take charge after telling Kay Adams a month ago that he hadn’t been informed if he would begin in 2025 and that he was “happy they didn’t.” So, the Vikings are giving McCarthy a shot.

Kevin O’Connell is investing in JJ McCarthy

Every great quarterback has a visionary coach behind them. And, Kevin O’Connell is investing in JJ McCarthy as if the team’s future depended on it, going above and beyond simply teaching him. O’Connell spoke candidly about McCarthy’s contributions and the Vikings’ future direction during the NFL’s Annual League Meeting in Florida. O’Connell remarked, “He knows a lot of the core principles of our offense now. Now he gets to learn it again from the very beginning.”

McCarthy isn’t going to be thrown into the deep end with the hope that he survives. He will be rebuilt from the ground up using leadership drills, playbook mastery, and muscle memory. And for that, he listened last year. So, now he is in the lead this year. Remember that this is the same quarterback who listened to play calls through a headset, sat through every snap in meetings, and received mental reps when his body wasn’t cooperating.

That preparation? O’Connell saw it. “I feel very good about projecting a really positive year for JJ,” he said. Meanwhile, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah later confirmed that the Vikings had stopped looking to add anyone new to the quarterback room, further signaling their belief that the future was already in the building.

And, McCarthy is joining a system that features Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, a budding O-line, and new defensive support in Jonathan Greenard, demonstrating that O’Connell’s vision goes beyond Xs and Os. This squad is reloading. The McCarthy era may have started with a brace and a question mark. Minnesota flirted with legends. But they’re building something real with JJ McCarthy.

And the kid just told us exactly where he stands: “I know I’m ready to start.” And this time, he’s not just 100%—he’s 110.