As J.J. McCarthy’s top target, Justin Jefferson’s support speaks to a strong relationship they’ve built off the field. The Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver recently showed this with his strong stance on disrespecting the starting QB. His gaming streams are usually about relaxation, but a recent session turned into a public defense of his embattled quarterback. Someone claimed one fellow gamer’s aim was “like J.J. McCarthy.” In reply, Jefferson wasted no time in calling it out.

“Y’all wrong for that man,” Jefferson said in the video on X. “Y’all chill on my youngin.”

After missing his rookie year in 2024, J.J. McCarthy’s first full season as a starter in 2025 was a rough ride. The Vikings’ quarterback ended the year as the NFL’s lowest-rated passer, missing seven games due to multiple injuries. The most jarring number on J.J. McCarthy’s 2025 resume is the math that never added up: 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. For a first-year starter trying to stabilize an offense, finishing the season with more picks than scores painted a bleak picture.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t the first time Jefferson defended the Vikings QB publicly. Previously, a controversy erupted regarding McCarthy’s surname and alter-ego ‘Nine’. He created the game-day alter-ego after his jersey number this season. Initially, it was just for entertainment, but once his performance dropped, he became the subject of criticism and memes.

“I feel like that’s just his alter ego that everybody has when they step out on the field… I don’t really feel people are thinking of it the way he’s taking it,” Jefferson had said.

Amid backlash, Justin Jefferson was one of the first few people to defend the young quarterback.

Jefferson himself had an uncharacteristically quiet 2025 season, hauling in just two touchdowns and barely crossing 1,000 receiving yards. The drop-off wasn’t all on him, though. J.J. McCarthy’s struggles in the pocket, a low pass completion rate, and frequent off-target throws left Jefferson running routes without consistent opportunities.

J.J. McCarthy’s future is in doubt amid his passing troubles

The 2025 season wasn’t a productive one for McCarthy. The young QB struggled with his throwing accuracy. After an early-season injury, he was unable to find the rhythm as the starting quarterback.

He sits at the bottom half of the key passing categories. With 1632 passing yards, he ranks 33rd among the QBs, while his passing completion percentage is 57.6%, placing him in the 30s in the league. Furthermore, he leads the off-target throw rates at an alarming 24.1%, which is the worst in the NFL this season.

To make matters worse, the team’s general manager recently spoke about wanting the QB in their team for the 2026 season, casing a doubt over McCarthy’s future.

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“I want the Vikings to achieve our goals. I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs and do different things like that,” Adofo-Mensah responded. “I think he (McCarthy) has the character and ability to be the person and do that for our organization. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain, you know, area.”

McCarthy’s 2025 season was a rollercoaster of misses and fumbles, with glaring low points. He threw for just a 47.6% completion rate against Baltimore and posted a 34.2 QBR vs. Green Bay, highlighting why his first full-year debut drew so much criticism. Although inconsistent, he showed glimpses of his talent in the later stages of this season.

He was brilliant against the Washington Commanders in Week 14, completing 163 passing yards with 3 touchdowns. He also did exceptionally well the following week against the Dallas Cowboys, recording 250 passing yards alongside 2 touchdowns. That was only the second time in the season when he crossed 200 passing yards.

It’s been a bumpy ride for the quarterback in the NFL with erratic form and costly injuries. Making his debut in his second season, he played 10 games, with injuries resurfacing. While his future at the Vikings remains unsettled, the franchise’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and head coach, Kevin O’Connell, previously stated that they want more competition for the quarterback position in 2026.