When the Minnesota Vikings signed journeyman Carson Wentz in August 2025, fans questioned the addition of a quarterback who had led the rival Eagles to the playoffs in 2017. Recently, however, they have looked at him as a sign of hope.
J.J. McCarthy is entering his second year as the presumed starter, but due to an alleged injury, NFL fans are questioning: Who will lead this team throughout the year?
So far, the results have been mixed. McCarthy has seen limited work due to an injury, and his stats are mixed. In two appearances this season, he’s completed 24-of-41 passes (~ 58.5%) for 301 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.
In his first NFL start, he rallied the Vikings to a 27–24 win over Chicago, throwing three fourth-quarter touchdowns despite a dry performance earlier, including a pick-six.
Yet the rough patches glare through his stats. In Week 2, when the Vikings played the Atlanta Falcons, McCarthy threw two interceptions, turned the ball over once, and McCarthy struggled to rally the team and lost 22–6. In comparison, last year, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw five touchdowns for a 41-21 win against Atlanta (ESPN).
Wentz, meanwhile, has been pushed into the starting role and has been the definition of mediocre. In a recent London game, vs. Cleveland, he completed 25-of-34 passes for 236 yards and a game-winning 12-yard touchdown to Jordan Addison with 25 seconds left.
“This is Wentz’s first game with multiple passing touchdowns and zero interceptions since Christmas Day in 2021, and this happened for a quarterback who wasn’t on the roster a month ago. On passes of 10-plus air yards, Wentz was 5 of 10 for 99 yards and an 85.0 passer rating, as the Vikings eased him into the offense,” football analyst Jeff Kerr said. Kerr references when Wentz was on the Indianapolis Colts, where he was able to keep the team above a .500 win percentage.
“For a guy who has been on the sideline for many games, he’s proved that he can still be a starter for a team trying to reach the playoffs,” longtime Vikings fan and Orono junior football player Daniel Bremer agreed.
However, due to the recent Thursday Night Football game against the Chargers, Wentz struggled to carry the offense to any hope of a win. With only 144 passing yards, a 55.6% completion rate, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Because of this terrible performance, people are wondering if the Vikings should’ve just put in rookie Max Brosmer to see how he would do.
Some fans are calling for patience, reminding everyone that McCarthy is still early in his development, believing that Carson Wentz isn’t suitable to be a starter anymore. According to reporter Kevin Seifert, JJ McCarthy is expected to return for Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.
I believe that Wentz should be benched, as a veteran quarterback with a good offense, he should have his footing by now. Many others and I agree that after Thursday night, McCarthy might be the Vikings’ only chance to enter the playoffs.
