Even though he is now a part of the Carolina Panthers' onerous rebuilding efforts, Adam Thielen will always be synonymous with the color purple. As a matter of fact, he is still indirectly involved with the Minnesota Vikings.
The 2017 Second-Team All-Pro wide receiver recently had a workout with Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy, and by his own admission, Thielen came away incredibly impressed by the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“He’s a great kid,” the 33-year-old told KFAN FM's Paul Allen, via Janik Eckardt of PurplePTSD. “You don’t realize that he’s only 21 years old when you’re talking to him, when you’re hanging around. He’s got a maturity about him that you can tell that goes beyond his age. And, you know, that’s step number one as a QB, to have that maturity level, to have that kind of poise or kind of that aura around you that just feels like confidence and just a good good person.”
Now that is what fans want to hear about the man tapped to lead the franchise for the foreseeable future, and hopefully beyond. Thielen's seal of approval falls in line with the Vikings' reasons for trading up to select the national championship-winning QB in April.
The organization values McCarthy's character, leadership qualities and experience. With arguably the best receiver in Justin Jefferson running routes and a lauded offensive mind like head coach Kevin O'Connell drawing up plays, the Michigan great has a chance to smoothly transition into the NFL. Though, it is not just his intangibles that are impressing people.
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Adam Thielen highlights the passing acumen that young JJ McCarthy possesses, which could be of vital importance in a division that features a three-time Pro Bowl QB who has been to a Super Bowl, a budding star and a former Heisman Trophy winner. The 22-year-old is definitely standing out as far as the NFL's co-record-holder for most consecutive games with 100-plus receiving yards is concerned.
“He has all the tools,” Thielen said. “He can sling it; he’s super accurate. We’re in shorts and t-shirts out there, but you can see a lot just from accuracy, timing, when you’re running around out there.”
While there are many football fans who consider McCarthy to be a game manager, the value of completing short and medium passes cannot be overlooked. Dissecting defenses and milking the clock is a tried-and-true method to win football games. By the sound of it, however, Thielen is not worried about the 2023 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year's ability to toss the deep ball.
McCarthy threw for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 72.3 percent of his passes during the Wolverines' title campaign. He may be asked to carry the offense more in the NFL than he did in college, but he seems to have a good support system behind him. Unfortunately for McCarthy, though, Thielen is not going to be a safety net for him on the field during his rookie season.
Both men are gearing up for pivotal years, as they each try to find success under challenging circumstances. Perhaps a couple more workouts are in order before they join their respective teams for training camp.
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