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The Minnesota Vikings let Sam Darnold walk last offseason to put all their eggs in the basket of the 2025 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, and now it appears that they may well regret that decision.
Darnold, of course, went on to win the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, while McCarthy completed just 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions across 10 starts. He battled both poor play and injury, and the team has since brought in competition for the starting job in the form of Kyler Murray.
Murray, like McCarthy, is attempting to rehab his career after a difficult run over the last four seasons. The former No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, but his numbers quickly fell off a cliff after signing a massive contract extension, and even his former teammates have questioned his ability to succeed in the league moving forward.
Despite that fact, Murray is seemingly keeping a positive outlook with his new team. McCarthy, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to see things the same way.
J.J. McCarthy And Kyler Murray Give Differing Answers On Being Teammates
Murray was recently asked what it’s been like working with McCarthy thus far, and he gave the type of answer that you’d expect from a seasoned NFL veteran.
“It’s been great,” he told reporters. “Obviously, I know he’s a younger guy. So, any way I can help him, obviously, I feel like I’ve played seven years now, going on eight, so I’m considered a veteran even though I don’t see myself as that. (I’ll) Give him any knowledge that he needs. Again, we’re both competitors, and I know we both want what’s best for the team.”
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Murray also noted that McCarthy has been receptive of both criticism and advice. However, McCarthy’s answer to a similar question didn’t sound that way.
“It’s just like two guys in a classroom,” McCarthy said when asked what his relationship has been like with Murray. “He sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us.
When asked if there’s any awkwardness between the two, McCarthy reiterated that “It’s just like the same feeling when you’re in high school, and there’s another person on the other side of the room. That’s just kind of how it is.”
Yikes.
On one hand, they’re both competing for the same job, and only one can win. So you can understand why McCarthy would feel threatened and competitive about the situation.
But when you compare his answers to those of Murray, it’s easy to tell which will go over better with the Vikings’ organization, and it’s not McCarthy’s.