Justin Jefferson Doesn’t Care Who Plays QB for the Minnesota Vikings Next Season
Minnesota fans were once again disappointed on Monday night as the Vikings had a case of the big game bubble guts once again. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 in a four-quarter beatdown at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
This has led to discussions about the Vikings’ quarterback situation next season. Sam Darnold is set to be a free agent, and J.J. McCarthy is set to return from a torn meniscus. Superstar wideout Justin Jefferson has weighed in on these discussions.
Also, Justin Jefferson won't weigh in on the Vikings' QB decision. "It's not my job to say who is going to be the quarterback or who do I want to be the quarterback. At the end of the day, they're going to figure it out, and whoever they decide to go with, we can work with that." https://t.co/T1XJqMpeV8
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 14, 2025
Justin Jefferson clearly understands this is the coaches’ and front office’s decision. While the quarterback has a massive impact on Jefferson’s ability to produce, it is clear he feels the offense can work with either McCarthy or Darnold. Jefferson finished with 103 receptions, 1,533 yards, and 10 touchdowns this season with Darnold at the helm.
It’s the fifth straight year he’s recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards. Justin Jefferson will continue to put his trust in Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as they work through choosing the starting quarterback for the 2025 season.
The case for Sam Darnold as Vikings franchise QB
Sam Darnold’s regular season was nothing short of spectacular, especially for a guy who had previously been widely labeled as a bust. Darnold posted career highs in every statistical category. He threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, had a 66.2-percent completion percentage, and a quarterback rating of 102.5.
Related: Vikings QB Sam Darnold Showing All the Intangibles Needed to be Great
He led the Vikings to a 14-win season for just the second time in franchise history. Under almost any other circumstances, the Vikings would resign him in a heartbeat. However, the last two weeks have shown that it is time for the Vikings to make a change at quarterback for next season.
The Minnesota Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy era begins
Nine days ago, the Minnesota Vikings were in Detroit ready to take on the Lions for the number one seed in the NFC and a first round bye. Darnold and the Vikings laid an egg, putting up nine points, and losing 31-9. Eight days later in the NFL’s Wild Card round, it was the exact same story for Darnold and this Vikings team.
Once again, the offense scored a measly nine points. The story of these two games is how poor Darnold looked on the big stage. Against the Lions, Darnold missed multiple easy throws, including a few for touchdowns. Last night, he frankly looked scared to throw the ball, as he often held the ball too long, taking nine sacks against the Rams.
He also had two terrible turnovers including a fumble-touchdown for the Rams. Darnold had a great regular season, but he proved he can’t perform in the big games, and it is time to turn the keys over to J.J. McCarthy.
Sam Darnold lost 82 yards on 9 sacks tonight, an average of 9.11 yards lost per sack.
— Krauser (@Krauserrific) January 14, 2025
Sacks were 10, 7, 12, 8 (fumble TD), 7, 11, 13, 8 and 9 yards.
82 sack yards lost is the MOST EVER in an NFL playoff game, beating the mark of 1967 Packers in the Ice Bowl win over Dallas. pic.twitter.com/MORMffa1qA
McCarthy was the Minnesota Vikings first round pick in the 2024 draft. Before the season, all signs pointed to McCarthy being the starter from day one. However, McCarthy tore his meniscus in a preseason game and was ruled out for the season, turning the keys over to Darnold for the year. Now that we have seen Darnold in playoff settings, it is clear McCarthy needs to be the guy moving forward.
Related: JJ McCarthy Trolls Sam Darnold After Michigan Comeback vs USC
Kevin O’Connell is a quarterback and offensive guru, and the front office needs to trust him to develop McCarthy. McCarthy is also on a rookie contract until 2028, providing a massive payroll advantage for the Vikings. Although Justin Jefferson says he doesn’t care who the quarterback is next year, today is the day that J.J. McCarthy should be named the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.
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