Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Wants QB J.J. McCarthy to be ‘Confident’ to Make Plays

Justin Jefferson Encourages J.J. McCarthy to be Confident in Making Plays

Updated Jul. 17, 2025, 2:51 p.m. ET

Sam Darnold recorded impressive stats with 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns, but the Minnesota Vikings have sent their best wishes to him and the Seattle Seahawks wbgame casino. Notably, Aaron Rodgers has not returned to the Vikings; instead, he has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after his release from the New York Jets. This development now puts J.J. McCarthy in the spotlight as the Vikings’ starting quarterback, and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson is optimistic about the young quarterback’s potential, despite his lack of experience.

“As his teammate and as a captain of the team, I’m doing my best to keep him focused every chance I get,” Jefferson shared regarding McCarthy in an interview with Yahoo Sports. “Our lockers are right next to each other, so I use every opportunity to discuss football and anything else that might come up. I really want to get to know him because when the season arrives and we need to be fully focused, I want him to feel as confident as I do in his abilities to make plays on the field.”

McCarthy’s Journey to the Vikings

The Vikings traded up one spot to draft McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy had a successful college career at Michigan, starting the majority of his last two seasons (2022-23) and helping lead the Wolverines to a national championship in his junior year (2023). Unfortunately, his rookie season was cut short due to a torn meniscus suffered during the 2024 preseason, which prevented him from stepping onto the field. Consequently, Sam Darnold took the reins as the starting quarterback for the season, guiding the Vikings to a 14-3 record before their defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round Pxbet88 Sabong. me777.bet

In his final year at Michigan, McCarthy showcased his dual-threat capabilities, finishing with 2,991 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and only four interceptions. He also achieved a remarkable Big Ten-high passer rating of 167.4, completing an impressive 72. yyy777 casino login3% of his passes in a run-oriented offense.

Jefferson’s Stellar Performance

On the other hand, Justin Jefferson, a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, had an outstanding season with 103 receptions for 1,533 yards (averaging 14.9 yards per reception) and 10 touchdowns. He was ranked eighth among wide receivers, boasting an 87.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus bet 88.ph.

McCarthy is set to inherit a powerhouse Minnesota offense featuring star players like Jefferson, emerging wide receiver Jordan Addison—who has averaged 66.5 receptions for 893.0 yards and 9.5 touchdowns over his first two NFL seasons—tight end and two-time Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson, and running back Aaron Jones, who tallied a career-high 1,138 rushing yards alongside 408 receiving yards last season, among others.

Are you excited to see how J.J. McCarthy will perform as the new starting quarterback for the Vikings this season?