{"id":8498,"date":"2026-09-09T20:39:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T20:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8498"},"modified":"2026-09-09T20:39:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T20:39:05","slug":"jj-mccarthy-demoted-to-third-string-qb-to-cement-his-vikings-downfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8498","title":{"rendered":"JJ McCarthy demoted to third-string QB to cement his Vikings downfall"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Carson Wentz will be the backup quarterback in Minnesota.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Vikings head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell announced Wednesday that the veteran signal-caller had won the job over J.J. McCarthy, who will be No. 3 on the depth chart behind starter Kyler Murray and Wentz.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis gives us the best chance to win this Sunday,\u201d O\u2019Connell told reporters.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connell will make a \u201cweek-to-week evaluation\u201d on the backup spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The decision comes after McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, lost the starting job to the free agent addition Murray during training camp and then missed the Vikings\u2019 preseason finale with an ankle injury.<\/p>\n

McCarthy struggled in his first season as a starter in 2025, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 games after missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus.<\/p>\n

Wentz, meanwhile, is back for a second season in Minnesota after starting five games in place of McCarthy last year, during which he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Despite the young quarterback falling down the depth chart, O\u2019Connell still spoke highly of McCarthy last month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s still a guy that\u2019s only played 10 games,\u201d O\u2019Connell said of McCarthy after naming Murray his QB1. \u201cHe\u2019s shown improvement off of last year. Even in this training camp with the work he\u2019s put in and his comfort level, just growing a little bit day in and day out. Very excited to continue to get to work with him every single day and coach him.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, McCarthy was also asked whether he still views himself as a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL, and he made clear that belief hasn\u2019t changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I believe so,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m always gonna have that confidence in myself, no matter what. But at this time it\u2019s doing whatever I can for the team, and, you know, being ready when my number\u2019s called. And that\u2019s all that matters, that\u2019s all I can control.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy has been demoted to third-string behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz, coach Kevin O\u2019Connell announced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nJJ McCarthy demoted to third-string QB to cement his Vikings downfall - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8498\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"JJ McCarthy demoted to third-string QB to cement his Vikings downfall - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vikings QB J.J. 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