Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy is officially back at full strength and ready to reclaim his starting role as the team prepares for its Week 9 clash against the Detroit Lions. After missing six games with a high right ankle sprain suffered in Week 2, the second-year signal-caller took all first-team reps in Wednesday’s practice, his first full session since the injury.
Speaking to reporters after practice, McCarthy said his ankle feels “amazing” heading into Sunday’s game, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
“Ready to go. I feel like myself again. I feel like I have those mobility things that I was concerned about going into last week and the prior weeks. So yeah, ready to go,” he said.
McCarthy’s return comes at an important time for Minnesota. Veteran Carson Wentz, who started in McCarthy’s absence, sustained a season-ending left shoulder injury and will undergo surgery. Wentz led the Vikings to a 2–3 record during that stretch, keeping the team in contention. Now at 3–4 and sitting last in the NFC North, the Vikings are counting on McCarthy to provide stability and lead an offense that currently ranks 18th in scoring.
The 2024 first-round pick has been away from the field since September 14, when his ankle injury first occurred. Swelling worsened during the team’s flight to Dublin before the September 28 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which forced him to miss several weeks.
McCarthy resumed limited practice after the team’s bye week and tested the ankle before the Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but head coach Kevin O’Connell and the medical staff determined he wasn’t ready.
This week proved to be a watershed in his comeback, as McCarthy practiced fully and moved without restriction, convincing O’Connell to name him the Week 9 starter. Behind him on the depth chart are rookie Max Brosmer as QB2 and veteran John Wolford, recently signed to the practice squad for added insurance.
McCarthy has missed 23 of his first 25 games, including playoffs, due to injuries. Before going down, he ranked second-to-last in QBR (20.3), but he’s spent his recovery working closely with O’Connell to refine his decision-making and fundamentals.
