Hype Train Set to Roll for Vikings
McCarthy after he suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason against the Las Vegas Raiders. That ended any possibility that McCarthy would contribute in year one, but it also gave him ample time to observe the game from afar.
 against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.</p>
<p>” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/J.J.-McCarthy.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=642,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/J.J.-McCarthy.jpg” src=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/J.J.-McCarthy.jpg” alt ><figcaption>Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.<span></span></figcaption></figure>
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<p>Now fully settled in and ready to assume the lead role, McCarthy knows both what is expected of him and what he must do to compete. The year down could have been the best thing for him, and although it didn’t provide an ideal training scenario, it gave him an entirely new perspective on the game.</p>
<p>Plenty of pundits are uncertain about what the Vikings are legitimately capable of <a href=)
this season. Much of that stems directly from expectations for McCarthy as a new signal caller. Rather than believing in whatever his ceiling may be, the greater desire has been to consider what his floor looks like.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
