The video clip went viral on social media last month as quarterback J.J. McCarthy shared what was going through his head after narrowly beating safety Brian Branch to the pylon for a rushing touchdown during the game between the Vikings and Detroit Lions.
As he chatted with quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Traylor on the sideline, McCarthy recounted the scoring play, saying, “I was really thinking about just booming his ass at the goal line.”
The private moment unknowingly caught on camera effectively encapsulated the duality of McCarthy as he continues to develop. The competitive fire that defined him throughout his rise up the ranks has largely contributed to him being unavailable for prolonged stretches at the highest level.
That explains why head coach Kevin O’Connell emphasized the importance of McCarthy learning to protect himself, specifically when scrambling, either by sliding in the open field, or getting out of bounds near the sideline.
“He can impact the game athletically,” O’Connell said. “It just can’t come at a cost of not having him in there.”
There have already been a couple of times where McCarthy’s desire seek out contact has seemingly played a role in him missing an extended period of time.
Though it’s never been reported when exactly he tore his meniscus against the Las Vegas Raiders last season, or when exactly he suffered a high ankle sprain against the Atlanta Falcons this season, there were multiple occasions in both games where he didn’t do a good enough job protecting himself after escaping the pocket.
That concerning trend reared its ugly head when McCarthy suffered a concussion against the Green Bay Packers a couple of weeks ago. There was a play late in that game during which McCarthy easily could’ve run out of bounds only to spin back into contact.
After missing the most recent game against the Seattle Seahawks, McCarthy has officially cleared concussion protocol, putting him in line to start for the Vikings when the host the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“I feel fantastic,” McCarthy said. “I’m ready to go.”
Asked if he knew when exactly he suffered the concussion, McCarthy said he wasn’t sure, offering a rather strange comparison to hammer home his point. He noted that he feels like he “got kicked in the face by a donkey” after every game to some degree.
“You’ve got the whiplash,” McCarthy said. “You’ve got the headaches.”
It seems as if McCarthy is slowly starting to understand how important it is for him to be smart if he wants to have staying power at the highest level. He’s missed enough time that he now knows there are very few instances when he should ever try to lower the shoulder to gain extra yardage.
“It’s about how can I avoid those situations where something catastrophic could happen,” McCarthy said. “Just understanding I need to protect myself from myself a lot of the times.”
If there’s a play in the near future that McCarthy has an opportunity to slide in the open field, or get out of bounds near the sideline, well, here’s to hoping he’s learned his lesson.
Briefly
In response to his many charitable efforts throughout the community, the Vikings have selected fullback C.J. Ham as the team’s nominee for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
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