Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy sparked a minor controversy last week by saying he and new passer Kyler Murray are basically like high school acquaintances, while Murray told media members the two were solid and in more of a mentor-mentee relationship, as is often seen with a veteran and a young quarterback.
It did not take long for the internet to seize the comments as evidence of McCarthy’s discontent, so much so that NFL insider Jason La Canfora claimed, via an anonymous general manager, that McCarthy wants out of Minnesota.
La Canfora Adds Fuel to Vikings’ Quarterback Drama
The Anon Executive Intel
La Canfora quoted one general manager — not specified as past or present — who said about McCarthy, “I think he wants out of there.”
“I think he’s wanted out of there since they signed Murray. Those personalities are not going to be a good fit.”
McCarthy said at Vikings OTAs about his relationship with Murray, the newcomer, “It’s just like two guys in a classroom. He sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us. Awkwardness? 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. I wouldn’t say there’s any awkwardness. It’s a true competition.”
“That’s what I was told, but at the end of the day, it matters what I do out here every single day, and that’s what I’m focused on. The organization made a decision that they feel like is going to improve the depth and the quality of the room, and they feel like they made that decision. All I’m thinking about is continuing the upward trajectory that I set for myself last season, that last quarter of the season, and continuing to be the best version of me every single day.”
La Canfora: McCarthy Could Be a Short-Timer in Minnesota
Following up on the unnamed GM’s take, La Canfora sized up the outlook for a would-be McCarthy trade.
La Canfora added, “Minnesota would likely not fetch much for McCarthy under these circumstances, and it might require an injury elsewhere to create more demand. If O’Connell couldn’t get much from him and opted to sell low on him, that would resonate around the league.”
“But it also stands to reason that obvious friction between a new QB you need to win with now, and one who has to quickly come to grips with watching games and not playing them so soon after being drafted that high, is far from ideal.”
It’s also worth noting that if Minnesota wanted to trade McCarthy, it likely would’ve done so in March or April — before promoting and advertising the upcoming camp battle. The need for a quarterback around the league was greater three months ago.
Conflicting Reports on McCarthy’s Personality
Entering June, there are contrasting reports about McCarthy and his role in the Vikings’ locker room, as well as the impending battle with Murray. McCarthy’s teammates tend to think he’s just fantastic, including right tackle Brian O’Neill, who is one of the franchise’s longest-tenured players.
He recently mentioned McCarthy, “Even through some of the low points, I mean, we were 4-8 at one point last year. We rattled off five straight. Like, guys believe in him, and guys wanted us to figure it out and be better as an offense. You hear the term ‘lose the locker room.’ He had the locker room more than anybody I’d seen ever.”
“You want to root for him. You want to do well, and you want him to keep taking those next steps. If I was judged after my first 10 games in the NFL, I’m not playing right now. There’s a part of it where he’s still so fresh, and he’s only going to continue to get better. The whole attitude from us was, ‘How do we go there as an offense together?’”
So, there’s the McCarthy who’s beloved by team captains — and the guy who wants off the roster, according to La Canfora’s sources. Something’s gotta give.
Team Control of McCarthy for Next 3 Seasons
If McCarthy wants out of Minnesota — that’s just a theory from a nameless executive right now — the Vikings must sign off on it. Minnesota drafted McCarthy in 2024, meaning it has control over his contract through the end of the 2028 campaign.
While McCarthy isn’t in an ideal spot at the moment because of Murray, there’s still a path for him to reclaim his job and resume his trajectory as the franchise’s quarterback of the future.
How he handles the training camp competition and the subsequent decision by the coaching staff should be telling about his state of mind in Minnesota.
McCarthy will turn 24 in January.
