The Minnesota Vikings have not told J.J. McCarthy that he is their starting quarterback, he said this week in an interview with the "Up & Adams Show" on FanDuel TV.
"And I'm happy they didn't, because I try to earn it every single day. And I never want that to be given to me. it's such a privilege and opportunity to give me that chance, and I'm just going to make the most of it every single day," McCarthy said in the interview with Kay Adams, which aired Tuesday, from the NFLPA Classic golf tournament in Mexico.
The quarterback position remains in flux for the Vikings, who decided against using the franchise tag on 2024 starter Sam Darnold and watched as he signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. They tried to re-sign veteran Daniel Jones, who spent the final six weeks of 2024 on their practice squad, but Jones opted for a one-year deal worth $14 million with the Indianapolis Colts, where he felt he would have a better chance to start.
Minnesota then spent nearly a week discussing the possibility of adding veteran Aaron Rodgers, who told the Vikings that his preference was to sign with them, sources have said. Last week, the Vikings decided to move forward with McCarthy during OTAs and minicamp, sources said, while leaving open the possibility of revisiting Rodgers this summer if he is still available.
Neither general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah nor coach Kevin O'Connell has spoken publicly since free agency opened. Adofo-Mensah is scheduled to meet with local reporters Wednesday.
McCarthy became the first NFL first-round quarterback in the modern draft era to miss his entire rookie season because of injury after tearing the meniscus in his right knee last August. He underwent a second surgery in November to investigate the cause of swelling, after which doctors gave him a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.
Speaking to Adams, McCarthy said: "I would say I'm 100 percent" but added that he is remaining "consistent with the rehab process."