NFL News: J.J. McCarthy turns heads with major admission after preseason debut with Vikings

This won’t be just another NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings. In fact, it could prove to be a pivotal year for the franchise. Barring any setbacks, J.J. McCarthy is finally expected to make his official debut with the team after a serious injury kept him sidelined last season.

The former Michigan Wolverines quarterback returned to the field alongside his teammates in Minnesota’s 20–10 victory over the Houston Texans, and his emotions were clearly visible once the game had ended.

It wasn’t easy — and McCarthy knows it. The effort and sacrifice put in over all this time were evident in his words during the postgame press conference.

“Had a little tear drop. Not going to lie, you know, being out there right before the National Anthem,” he said, via the team’s website. “This game is the best game in the world and to be out there with this kind of group and this coaching staff, it was absolutely terrific. The journey that any injured player goes on to be back out there, doing the thing that they love. It was really special, for sure.”

J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 9, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He also added: “You’re in the moment day-to-day for so long, especially during the rehab process, and finally get to the point where it’s like, ‘Wow, this is my second game,’ and I felt like I played the whole season. It was something that did catch me off guard. But it just shows how much I care for this game, and just being out there with my teammates again was truly awesome.”

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NFL News: Report confirms Vikings might be regretting their final decision to choose J.J. McCarthy over Aaron Rodgers

O’Connell shows excitement over his QB’s return

J.J. McCarthy’s return to the field has the Vikings excited, as the franchise harbors serious aspirations of becoming one of the top contenders this season. Kevin O’Connell, the talented head coach of this team, shared his thoughts on this new chapter.

“I think there’s just a level of composure and poise to how he ran the show that was exactly what I was looking for,” he said. “It’s obviously a checkpoint for our whole team, but clearly for J.J. as we got a chance to kind of have our first chance since last year, headset communication in real time, play clock, all of us coaches on the sideline.

“I thought he did a really, really nice job of [running the show]. I would have loved to play him all day long but wanted to have him in there with some of the guys he’s going to be in there with and did not want to play that full group very long with such significant work coming up [in joint practices with New England on Wednesday and Thursday].”

J.J. McCarthy #9 and Head Coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings talk before the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 9, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

What injury did McCarthy suffer?

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered a significant injury in his right knee during the 2024 preseason. The rookie, who was a first-round pick, tore his meniscus and required surgery that ultimately sidelined him for his entire first season.

What’s next for the Vikings?

After kicking off their NFL preseason with a win over the Texans, the Vikings have two more prep games lined up in the near future. The first will be against the New England Patriots at home on Saturday, August 16, followed by a trip to Tennessee on Friday, August 22, to face the Titans at Nissan Stadium.