Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Adam Thielen walks the sideline throughout one of many remaining video games of his NFL profession, representing the franchise the place his journey started. In 2025 towards the Baltimore Ravens, Thielen appeared in team-released footage after a profession that began with Minnesota in 2013 and concluded following the season. Necessary Credit score: YouTube.
In the event you haven’t heard by now, former Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Adam Thielen is a fan of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Thielen has not been shy within the final two years about pounding the desk for McCarthy, and this week, he continued the sample.
McCarthy’s inventory is low proper now, enjoying second fiddle to new Viking Kyler Murray. But when Thielen has it proper, McCarthy’s upside may be very a lot intact.
Vikings QB Plan Nonetheless Is determined by McCarthy’s Subsequent Step
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy scans the sphere earlier than delivering a move throughout a highway matchup towards the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. The younger signal-caller continued gaining beneficial expertise as Minnesota pushed towards the postseason. Captured on Dec. 21, 2025, the play mirrored McCarthy’s rising consolation inside Kevin O’Connell’s offensive system. Necessary Credit score: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Photographs.
Thielen on McCarthy
Thielen spoke with Kyle Brandt, and the McCarthy subject surfaced. Thielen opined, “He’s got all the traits to be a successful quarterback in this league. He has the skills. He has the strong arm. He has the mindset that not a lot of guys have, has this dog mentality that everyone wants to find. So, I love those two aspects of him. I think he’s a guy who loves football; he loves his teammates.”
“You feel that in the locker room with him. Now, was there some things that he needs to work on? Yes. Absolutely. He knows that. And I think he’s gone to the drawing board this offseason, I think he’s taken feedback from coach O’Connell, and coach, I think, was very candid with him of ‘This is what you need to improve on.’”
Vikings proper sort out Brian O’Neill additionally shared an identical opinion about McCarthy final week.
Thielen continued, “And I think he’s gone to the drawing board and really worked on those things. I think you have to wait and see what that looks like in training camp, when you put the pads on, when you put a full defense coming at him, with preseason games and things like that.”
“But I think he’s gonna step in the right direction.”
McCarthy Could Should Await Serendipity
Whereas McCarthy could have all the appropriate stuff, in line with Thielen, he seemingly received’t get an opportunity to strut in September. For now, Murray is the runaway frontrunner at Vikings organized group actions to win the QB1 job. McCarthy has not struggled; Murray has simply seemed too spectacular for a QB2 job.
Alternatively, Murray isn’t identified for his sturdiness — neither is McCarthy — at 5 toes and 10 inches tall. So, there’s a good probability that Murray will get damage someday in 2026, and in that state of affairs, all eyes would flip to McCarthy, who would enter the huddle and be requested to script a mini-redemption story.
There’s a world the place Murray will get injured, McCarthy takes over, McCarthy performs nice, and simply by no means offers the job again. That occurs within the NFL. McCarthy, at the very least for 2026’s sake, might be all the way down to that various, primarily based on the best way Murray is trending early this summer time.
A Excessive-Strain Season for His Profession
And make no mistake: the stakes are elevated for McCarthy, even when he’s not tapped on the shoulder for the QB1 job this season. Most younger quarterbacks present their true colours in Yr No. 3, a tell-tale marker of quarterback growth.
Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Adam Thielen seems to be on following a victory over the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Thielen was within the midst of one of the productive stretches of his NFL profession, cementing his standing as a fan favourite. Photographed on Oct. 14, 2018, the picture captures a defining period for Minnesota’s offense. Necessary Credit score: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
As an example, if McCarthy sees enjoying time in 2026 and balls out, there’s no purpose to imagine the Vikings would deviate from his candidacy because the long-term QB1. In spite of everything, not way back, he was the one-and-only QB1 resolution for a group ending the Kirk Cousins period.
Conversely, if Murray refuses to relinquish the QB1 title, nicely, McCarthy could not keep in Minnesota longer than the 2026 marketing campaign. The Vikings already bungled the Sam Darnold scenario. There’s exactly zero probability that Murray would thrive in Minnesota whereas the Vikings’ entrance workplace stated “thanks but no thanks” to a Murray contract extension in 2027. In that state of affairs, McCarthy could be a commerce sweepstakes within the 2027 offseason.
Thielen Is aware of Finest?
On Thielen, he labored within the NFL for 13 years. He is aware of issues; he’s seen some stuff. If he’s going out of his strategy to reward McCarthy, he wouldn’t do this as a hot-take service provider. There’s no purpose to hype a quarterback who stinks, and to Thielen’s credit score, he’s pounded the desk for McCarthy greater than a few instances.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy walks off the sphere after a highway recreation towards the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The rookie passer continued constructing momentum throughout his first season as Minnesota’s starter whereas navigating playoff expectations. Captured on Dec. 14, 2025, the second displays the rising tasks positioned on the franchise quarterback. Necessary Credit score: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Photographs.
Due to this fact, if you see followers on social media hinting that McCarthy is a bust or simply flat-out stinks, Thielen could also be a extra credible supply and quarterback evaluator.
In actual fact, McCarthy seems like the kind of man who finally “figures it out,” not not like Baker Mayfield or the aforementioned Darnold.
McCarthy will flip 24 subsequent January. He nonetheless has youth in his favor, and the Vikings have the choice to regulate his contract for the following three seasons.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
