If you’re asking who is Minnesota Vikings quarterback right now, you’re basically looking at a "to be continued" sign hanging over TCO Performance Center in Eagan. As of January 2026, the short answer is J.J. McCarthy. He’s the guy. He’s the first-round investment, the face of the franchise, and the person Head Coach Kevin O’Connell is betting his job on.
But man, it’s been a bumpy ride to get here.
Most people think the Vikings have a settled situation because they drafted McCarthy 10th overall back in 2024. Honestly, it hasn't been that simple. Between a season-ending meniscus tear in his true rookie year and a 2025 season plagued by a high-ankle sprain and a hand fracture, McCarthy has only actually started 10 games in two years. That is not exactly the "standard" developmental curve.
The Current State of the Vikings QB Room
Right now, the Vikings are in the middle of their 2026 offseason evaluations. The 2025 season just wrapped up with a 9-8 record—a winning season, sure, but one that left fans feeling a little bit like they’d just eaten a lukewarm hot dish.
J.J. McCarthy finished the 2025 campaign with some truly bizarre stats. He threw 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He completed only 57.6% of his passes. On paper, those are "get him out of there" numbers. But if you actually watched the games, you saw the flashes. You saw the Week 1 comeback against the Chicago Bears where he became the first rookie starter since 1985 to overcome a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in his debut.
Behind him on the depth chart, things look a bit like a revolving door:
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- Max Brosmer: The undrafted rookie who actually stepped in and won a game against the Lions on Christmas Day 2025.
- Carson Wentz: Brought in as a veteran insurance policy but ended the 2025 season on Injured Reserve with a shoulder issue.
- John Wolford & Brett Rypien: Names you'll see on the practice squad or bottom of the roster, essentially there for emergency depth.
What Happened to Sam Darnold?
A lot of casual fans are still looking for Sam Darnold. It makes sense—he was great for Minnesota in 2024 while J.J. was hurt. But here’s the reality: Sam Darnold is currently the Pro Bowl quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Vikings let him walk in free agency after the '24 season, and he signed a massive three-year, $100.5 million deal in Seattle. While McCarthy was struggling with a hand injury in Minnesota this past December, Darnold was leading the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It's a "what if" that haunts plenty of Vikings message boards late at night.
Why J.J. McCarthy is Still the Plan for 2026
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell held their season-ending press conference just a few days ago, on January 13, 2026. They were pretty blunt. They know 10 starts out of a possible 34 isn't enough. But they aren't ready to pull the plug.
O'Connell is obsessed with McCarthy's "grit." The kid played through a hairline fracture in his throwing hand in Week 16 against the Giants just to try and keep the playoff hopes alive. That earns you a lot of respect in a locker room. Right guard Will Fries recently went on the record saying he'd "go into battle" for J.J. any day. That kind of teammate buy-in matters more than a Pro Football Focus grade in early January.
The plan for this spring is "mechanical refinement." McCarthy has a tendency to get "heavy" in his dropbacks, which leads to those sail-away interceptions we saw against Green Bay. The Vikings' staff is basically rebuilding his footwork from the ground up this offseason.
The "Big Name" Rumors
Because the Vikings haven't won a playoff game in the O'Connell/Adofo-Mensah era, the rumor mill is spinning. You might hear names like Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson being linked to Minnesota in "blockbuster trade" theories.
Is it possible? Technically.
Is it likely? Not really.
The Vikings are more likely to bring in a high-end "bridge" veteran or a very strong backup to compete with McCarthy rather than mortgaging the next five years of draft picks for a superstar. They want a "competitive room," not necessarily a replacement.
How the Quarterback Affects the Stars
You can't talk about who is Minnesota Vikings quarterback without mentioning Justin Jefferson. "Jets" missed some time in 2025 with a hamstring issue, and his chemistry with McCarthy was... let's call it "a work in progress."
There was a nasty pick-six against the Bears where Jefferson and McCarthy just weren't on the same page on an out-route. If McCarthy is going to keep the job through 2026, he has to master the "Justin Jefferson Target Share." You don't have the best receiver in the world and then complete under 60% of your passes. It just doesn't work.
What to Watch For This Offseason
If you’re a Vikings fan or just tracking the team for fantasy, the next few months are huge. Here is how the quarterback situation will actually shake out:
- The Medical Check: McCarthy needs to prove his throwing hand is 100% healed. No more "struggling to grip the ball" like he did in December.
- The Free Agency Move: Watch who the Vikings sign in March. If they sign a guy like Mac Jones or Malik Willis, it’s a backup move. If they go after a bigger name, it’s a signal that J.J.’s leash is getting short.
- Draft Strategy: They have their 2026 draft picks. If they use a high one on a QB again, the McCarthy era is effectively over.
Basically, J.J. McCarthy is the Vikings quarterback because of his pedigree and his toughness. He has the "look in his eye" that coaches love, but he needs to start putting the ball in the hands of his own players more often than the opponents.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the training camp reports in August 2026. That’s when we’ll see if the footwork "rebuild" actually stuck or if Minnesota is headed for another season of quarterback musical chairs.
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Keep your eyes on the injury reports this spring. A healthy J.J. McCarthy is a dangerous one, but a sidelined J.J. McCarthy is how you end up with Max Brosmer starting a playoff-push game in December. Check the official Vikings roster updates frequently, as the team is expected to be very active in the "tier 2" quarterback market this March to ensure they never have to start four different guys in a single season again.