After working through a hairline fracture in his right hand, quarterback J.J. McCarthy will officially get the start for the Vikings in the finale against the Green Bay Packers. The annoucement came from head coach Kevin O’Connell on Friday afternoon at TCO Performance Center.
Though the Vikings will likely be going up against mostly backups when the play the Packers on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium, the rivalry matchup offers a chance for McCarthy to close this season out on a high note.
It’s been a roller coster for McCarthy to this point as he’s only completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He’s also struggled to stay on the field consistently, missing games due to a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand.
“If I did start writing a book, the first chapter would be good, that’s for sure,” McCarthy said in reference to the ups and down he’s already experienced. “It’s a beautiful story and I’m really starting to understand the meaning of it.”
There have been signs of growth from McCarthy as of late. He looked much more confident last month in wins over the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys before being knocked out of the win over the New York Giants.
No matter what happens when the Vikings play the Packers this weekend, McCarthy said he can’t escape the feeling that he his teammates down this season with some of the growing pains he’s gone through in real time. He’s hellbent on making sure he doesn’t want to feel like that moving forward.
“We’ve got to get in the dance,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got to make sure that we don’t end up in this position again.”
Related Articles
Vikings picks: ‘Experts’ expect Vikings to end season high note
An inside look at Harrison Smith’s weekly coffee dates with Kevin O’Connell
Packers to start QB Clayton Tune in regular-season finale against Vikings
Will the Vikings get Justin Jefferson over 1,000 yards?
The Loop NFL Picks: Week 18
Leave a Reply