J.J. McCarthy doesn’t have the typical grace period young quarterbacks get. He had a year off due to injury and now as the incumbent to Sam Darnold, McCarthy has to immediately come in and keep this Minnesota Vikings team as contenders in the NFC. While that pressure sounds daunting, Kevin O’Connell backing up McCarthy has Vikings fans hyped about their new quarterback.
That said, Tom Brady isn’t impressed by the offseason hype. In fact, he shattered Vikings fans' dreams about what this season could mean by dealing out a harsh reality on what could be a less than exciting first season.
"They're expecting J.J. to come and play at that level that Sam (Darnold) did. But I think that's a lot to ask a young player. In my second year, I wasn't the same quarterback that I was in Year 7 or Year 8. I was way better in 2007 than when I was in 2001 when I took over,” Brady said during an interview with Cris Collinsworth for Pro Football Focus.
He’s not wrong, either. The overarching expectations are setting McCarthy up to fail and Brady sees that. Let McCarthy go through the ups and downs of being a young quarterback in the NFL before we tell him what he should be. That’s a reality Vikings fans probably don’t want to hear.
Tom Brady drops harsh reality on Vikings fans as J.J. McCarthy era begins in Minnesota
Brady is right though about what to expect from McCarthy as he officially begins his NFL journey. To expect him to play at the same level as Darnold is irrational. After all, look how long it took Darnold to get to the level he got to last year. He was dumped by three teams before landing with Minnesota and he was their second option at that.
McCarthy is in a great situation and that’s good for his development. To be surrounded with the weapons he has is paramount for him to not feel like he has to do everything himself. He can rely on an All-pro receiver to make a play. That said, he’s going to struggle and when he does, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world for the Vikings.
We’ve seen what high expectations have done to college quarterbacks this season, Vikings fans can’t make that same mistake with McCarthy. They may not want to hear it, but what Brady said is correct. He needs time, and this year won’t make or break his NFL career. It will give him something to build toward in the future.
J.J. McCarthy will prove this season the Minnesota Vikings were right to believe in him
This season, McCarthy will ultimately prove why the Vikings believed in him and were ready to turn the offense over to him. His stats won’t determine that, nor will his Pro Bowl status. Rather, if he grows throughout the year. His first game will have a microscope on every little detail of his performance. But what happens during the game won’t mean too much in the grand scheme of things.
First-year quarterbacks go through ebbs and flow throughout the season, but it’s how they weather the adversity that ultimately determines if they’ll be mainstays or expendable. McCarthy will prove he’s a franchise guy, Vikings fans just have to be patient. If they get uneasy with his development, that will only add more pressure.
The last thing McCarthy needs is to be in a situation like Bryce Young where he has to improve and has no support from the organization to do so. He’s in a much better situation in Minnesota, but the fact is, the Panthers have to be patient with Young.
The Vikings equally need to be patient with McCarthy. Very few quarterbacks come into the NFL and have it figured out right away, so if McCarthy needs another season or so to improve his development, there’s nothing wrong with that at all.