Vikings Standing by J.J. McCarthy as Radio Host Urges a Full Break

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy heads into his third NFL season in an uncomfortable position: the former first-round pick has lost the starting job to offseason addition Kyler Murray and, per reports, has slid to third on the depth chart behind veteran Carson Wentz.

The situation has drawn sharp commentary from Fox Sports radio host Jason Smith, who argued on X that the Vikings should cut ties entirely rather than keep a daily reminder of a draft miss. Smith, whose network parent Fox Corporation (FOXA) trades at $67.71, up 1.8% from a previous close of $66.51 with a market cap of roughly $27.7 billion, wrote that McCarthy should not be part of Minnesota’s Week 1 plans and called the team’s quarterback decision the worst in league history.

Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley, however, made clear he expects McCarthy to be on the roster when the season begins. Teasley framed the quarterback’s current role as one of development and support, crediting his professionalism since arriving with the organization. He also reiterated his belief in McCarthy’s physical tools, pointing to his first-round pedigree, arm strength, and athleticism while noting that he has started only 10 games — a small sample in what Teasley called the hardest job in sports.

Those 10 starts were uneven. McCarthy threw 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, though the Vikings went 6-4 in those games. The team’s decision to acquire Murray signaled that Minnesota wanted more from the position.

Contract context complicates any immediate split. Murray and Wentz are both playing on deals that expire after this season, while McCarthy has a year remaining on his rookie contract plus a fifth-year option that Minnesota appears unlikely to pick up. A demotion to third string suggests the organization would at least listen to trade offers, though general manager Teasley did not draft McCarthy, and an outright release does not appear to be under consideration.

For now, Minnesota’s plan appears to be patience: keep McCarthy in the building, let him develop behind two short-term veterans, and revisit the position again next offseason.

What to watch

• Final roster decisions at quarterback before Week 1, including whether McCarthy remains third on the depth chart.
• Whether Minnesota exercises McCarthy’s fifth-year option next offseason.
• The Vikings’ 2026 direction at quarterback, given both Murray’s and Wentz’s contracts expire after this season.
• Any trade interest in McCarthy ahead of the league’s trade deadline.

Source: original release