The Minnesota Vikings had a successful season as they surpassed even the wildest expectations that anyone had for them.
They went 14-3 in the regular season and battled the Detroit Lions until Week 18 for the NFC North title, and they were driven by a breakout season from quarterback Sam Darnold, who had been dismissed as a bust by many.
Darnold is about to become a free agent, and there is plenty of uncertainty about whether he will remain with Minnesota.
If he does leave, J.J. McCarthy seems ready to take over, and he recently revealed his biggest goal for the 2025 season.
“Just go to war with my brothers. Have an opportunity to go out there and shed some blood with them. It really last year hurt not doing that. So, that’s what I’m looking forward to,” McCarthy told Sports Illustrated, via The Purple Persuasion.
What’s @Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy biggest goal going into year 2?
“Just go to war with my brothers. Have an opportunity to go shed some blood with them. It really hurt not going that [last year].”
?: @SInow pic.twitter.com/EPsBd8XUeC
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 4, 2025
McCarthy, who was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason, which gave Darnold the opportunity to prove he was more than a decent backup.
In 2023, McCarthy threw for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing 72.3 percent of his pass attempts in helping Michigan win the national championship.
However, there remain unanswered doubts about whether he can thrive in the pass-heavy offense Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell employs after playing in a ground-and-pound college offense.
The Vikings do have weapons in wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back Aaron Jones who can help McCarthy adjust to being a starting quarterback in the NFL whenever he gets that chance.
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