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J.J. McCarthy has a difficult path ahead with Minnesota.

The Minnesota Vikings will host a fierce quarterback battle this summer between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. And while Murray comes in with the initial edge, McCarthy still has a chance to show he’s improved from a rough 2025 season. 

McCarthy finished the season with 1,632 yards and just 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in 10 games. So while his odds to retain the starting quarterback duties seem slim, McCarthy’s former quarterback coach Greg Holcomb, who had coached McCarthy since middle school, thinks McCarthy still hasn’t been given his fair chance yet. 

“He’s played in basically about 10 games. I don’t think you can judge somebody by playing in only 10 games,” said Holcomb on the Vikings Playbook Podcast. 

“Me, personally, when I look at 2025, it was really his rookie year because he didn’t play the season prior because of the injury. I just don’t hit the panic button. There’s a lot of football for this guy to play. The unfortunate thing is we are in an era where patience is very thin. We’re so used to getting what we want right away.”

McCarthy’s Former QB Coach Isn’t Ready to Give Up on Him Just Yet

Holcomb has known McCarthy for years, and helped him reach the top level of football, so it’s fair to think that he knows the type of potential the young quarterback has in him. At 23 years old, McCarthy’s story isn’t finished, but the NFL wheels keep turning whether he’s ready or not, and the success the Vikings had with Sam Darnold the year before might have put too much pressure on McCarthy to be great immediately.

“I think [Vikings fans] saw Sam Darnold as ‘he’s good’ but now we have this tenth pick of the draft, national champion, absolute stud, everyone loves him, he’s the next whatever,” continued Holcomb. “And so they anointed [McCarthy] almost like this person that would take them where Sam Darnold didn’t, through the playoffs and to a Super Bowl. But we gotta give him some time.”

“I think it’s a really good thing that he’s gonna have competition at the quarterback position. He’s gonna be pushed by Kyler Murray, and he didn’t have that last season. I think it will be good for both of them.”

Vikings Won’t Be Naming a Starting Quarterback Anytime Soon

A starter for the Vikings likely won’t be named anytime soon, and Vikings assistant head coach Frank Smith said they’re just getting started. 

“We’re building a foundation,” said Smith. “To talk about positions, ultimately everyone here in this program is trying to get better than the year before.” 

“So to say where everyone is at–we are in phase 2, week 2. You wanna talk about stuff that is way down the road. I’m worried about making sure today was at the standard we at which we want to get it done to.”

Should McCarthy win the job, he’ll be tasked with bringing Minnesota back to playoffs after missing out in 2025 despite winning the final five games. Still, Murray won’t be easily brushed aside as a former No. 1 overall pick. 

Trevor Ripley Trevor Ripley is a Heavy writer covering the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. More about Trevor Ripley