J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings’ first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will miss his entire rookie season after undergoing knee surgery.
The young quarterback, who was selected with the 10th overall pick, began experiencing knee discomfort earlier this week. Medical evaluations revealed a meniscus issue, which necessitated surgery. However, the procedure uncovered a full MCL tear, ruling McCarthy out for the remainder of the season.
McCarthy had high expectations placed upon him after an impressive final season at Michigan, where he threw for 2,991 yards and scored 25 total touchdowns. He also led the Big Ten in several key categories, including completion percentage (72.3%) and passing efficiency rating (167.4). The Vikings, having moved on from veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, drafted McCarthy with the hope that he would compete for the starting role.
With McCarthy sidelined, the competition for the starting quarterback position now shifts. Sam Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings this offseason, is the likely frontrunner.
Darnold, a former No. 3 overall pick, has had a turbulent career, most recently serving as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings will also consider Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall, who were part of the quarterback depth chart last season.
As the Vikings adjust to this significant loss, the focus will now be on Darnold and the other quarterbacks to step up and fill the void left by McCarthy’s injury.
