The Ringer: McCarthy entering unprecedented territory

This is an excellent article:

J.J. McCarthy’s Season Will Be Unprecedented. Are He and the Vikings Ready for It?
The second-year QB missed his rookie season with a meniscus tear, and now he’s inheriting a Minnesota team that won 14 games last year. What did he learn in his year away? And will that be enough against real NFL competition?

https://www.theringer.com/2025/08/26/nfl/jj-mccarthy-minnesota-vikings-second-year-quarterbacks-kevin-oconnell

"Given the fleeting nature of success in the NFL, the risk Minnesota is taking is obvious. If McCarthy isn’t ready to play, this will feel like a wasted year for a team that could be in championship contention with just above-average quarterback play. If he is ready, the Vikings could run away with the NFC North. That makes the second-year passer, who hasn’t started a game that counts since he won a national championship with Michigan 19 months ago, one of the main characters of the 2025 NFL season."

A few excerpts: 

"All that work seems to have paid off, as was evident on the second day of joint practices. Following a shaky first day, McCarthy lit up the Patriots defense when the teams worked on red zone and two-minute situations. McCarthy’s handling of the offense before the snap was impressive, but it was his decisiveness after the snap that really stood out. He took chances downfield when they were there, connecting with Jordan Addison on countless plays. He hit his outlets when the downfield opportunities didn’t open up, and he scrambled when appropriate. At one point, McCarthy completed 12 passes in a row. “This is the one time it’s good that you guys were keeping some stats,” O’Connell joked after a reporter informed him of the feat. “It felt decisive. [He showed] an incredible amount of conviction in the decisions he made.”

“I think he’s handled that really well,” Greenard continued. “He’s always encouraging us to [push it further]. Like, ‘Hey, keep sending that shit. I need the reps.’ I love that.”