The Minnesota Vikings have fully moved forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback. Their plan to eventually ease McCarthy into the starter's role last year took a hit when he suffered a year-ending knee injury in his first preseason start for the Vikings. But now, without Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones on the roster, McCarthy is the undisputed QB1 of the team.
McCarthy landed in an ideal spot as a first-round pick in 2024 due in part to the weapons they had on offense, including Justin Jefferson. However, McCarthy will be without one key contributor early on this season and in the quarterback's NFL debut.
According to multiple reports, wide receiver Jordan Addison has been suspended for the first three games of the season by the NFL for violating the substance of abuse policy. With this news, Addison will miss McCarthy's first start, and it's on the road against the rival Chicago Bears.
Discipline: NFL suspended Vikings WR Jordan Addison for the first three games of the 2025 regular season for violating the league’s Substances of Abuse Policy.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 5, 2025
Addison now will miss games at Chicago, vs. the Falcons and vs. the Bengals. pic.twitter.com/f4fFt3ECU6
J.J. McCarthy will be without Jordan Addison for first three games of season due to suspension
This is the latest off-field issue for Addison. Back in 2023, Addison pled guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge for driving 140 mph on a Minnesota freeway. Then, in 2024, Addision was charged with driving under the influence, where he pled no contest, but reached a plea agreement that included a $390 fine and 12 months probation. Now, a three-game suspension for violating the substance of abuse policy.
With Addison out for the first three games, things will get a bit more challenging for McCarthy. Addison was easily the second-best pass-catcher on the team. So now, fans can expect Jefferson to get double covered by the Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals through the first three weeks of the season.
McCarthy showed legitimate promise in his lone preseason outing as a rookie, throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns while completing 11-of-17 pass attempts. It helped end the talk of whether or not McCarthy was the real deal, as he came from a run-heavy offense at Michigan. But still, there is a lot of pressure on McCarthys shoulders heading into the 2025 season.
Make no mistake about it, McCarthy's job got more difficult with Addison sidelined for the first three games of the season.