‘Not Sure He’s the Answer’ — NFL Legend Raises Major Concern About J.J. McCarthy After Vikings’ Loss to Falcons

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After defeating the Chicago Bears in their season opener, the Minnesota Vikings have now taken their first loss of the season.

Sunday night’s final NFL game of the evening saw the Vikings (now 1-1) hand the Atlanta Falcons their first win of the year. Minnesota lost by 16 points, with the Falcons scoring 10 in the fourth quarter to make the final score 22-6.

Throughout the matchup, Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy only completed 11 of his 21 attempted passes.

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Concerns Continue To Rise About J.J. McCarthy

Additionally, McCarthy also threw two interceptions after being a former No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Perhaps the most head-scratching moment of the entire day of league play came when McCarthy threw an interception with just over two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter to Atlanta’s Xavier Watts.

The Vikings finished the game with a measly 198 total yards, 120 of which were passing and 78 were from the ground game.

In comparison to McCarthy’s previously mentioned 11 completions, the Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. tallied 135 yards from 13 passes on 21 attempts.

The game also served as a professional rematch for Penix and McCarthy from the 2024 CFP National Championship, in which they were both the starting quarterbacks.

NFL analyst Richard Sherman previously said he didn’t think McCarthy was the answer for Minnesota moving up in the league.

“Not sure JJ McCarthy is the Answer in Minnesota. This is the danger of letting the guy who you had success with walk for a guy you “think” can do the job at a high level,” Sherman said on X.

Sherman is a former NFL legend who played for 11 years before retiring in 2021; he won the Super Bowl in 2014.

During his college years, McCarthy was a top-10 Heisman Trophy Finisher and a two-time All-Big Ten selection.

And now after McCarthy’s latest performance against Atlanta, Sherman said he’s still not sure McCarthy is the best way forward for the Vikings.

“Bump. Still not sure he’s the answer,” Sherman said, this time, on Sunday night.

The Vikings and McCarthy now turn their attention to getting ready to face off against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 21. Kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m. EST.

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