J.J. McCarthy Sends Powerful 1-Word Message to Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings finally got to see their franchise quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, back in action for the team’s first preseason game of the 2025-26 run. The Vikings and McCarthy didn’t disappoint, either, with the team beating the Texans by a final score of 20-10. McCarthy had a terrific showing, as well as Vikings backup quarterbacks Sam Howell and Max Brosmer, so the team’s signal-caller roster is looking good.

The Vikings’ No. 10 overall pick in 2024 lost his rookie season to a serious injury, so this upcoming season will mark his first with the team. McCarthy only took the field during the team’s opening possession, but wow, did he make a statement. His 13-play scoring drive resulted in a 48-yard field goal.

Following the game, McCarthy was notably emotional. It makes sense, because this was a big moment for both him and the Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy Gets Emotional

GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings.

McCarthy summed up his feeling on the field in one word: unbelievable.

“Unbelievable,” McCarthy said during his postgame press conference. “Had a little tear drop, not going to lie, being out there right before the National Anthem. 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.”

McCarthy is expected to start this season. Last season, the Minnesota Vikings relied on Sam Darnold, who inked a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.

“I was kind of getting a little emotional last night,” McCarthy added. “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.”

He 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.”

Vikings Head Coach Comments on McCarthy

After the game, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said that McCarthy obviously passed the first test for being the team’s true quarterback.

“I thought he did a really, really nice job,” O’Connell said. “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 the team’s practices with the New England Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday].”

In a piece published on Saturday, August 9, in The Vikings Age, Adam Patrick notes that “on his second-ever game with the Minnesota Vikings, J.J. McCarthy was only on the field for one offensive series in Saturday’s preseason contest against the Houston Texans, but that’s all he needed to prove to all of his doubters why he will enter the regular season as the starting quarterback for a team that won 14 games in 2024.”

It’s certainly the case that McCarthy was able to silence his doubters very quickly on Saturday. Now, let the countdown to the regular season begin.