The 2025 season will make the start of the JJ McCarthy era in Minnesota after missing his rookie season due to injury. And while it is unclear how McCarthy will look at the NFL level, one of his teammates, Vikings safety Josh Metellus, expects big things from McCarthy right out of the gates.
McCarthy comes to the Vikings with a resume as a winner at the collegiate level, leading the Michigan Wolverines to a National Championship in 2023, which helped shoot McCarthy up draft boards all the way to the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Vikings selected him.
While McCarthy is unproven at the NFL level, he certainly has the belief of his teammates. Speaking with NFL reporter Ari Meirov on Tuesday, Metellus shared how he believes that McCarthy has the intelligence and confidence to do some great things at the NFL level.
“Yeah man, as a professional, above the shoulder is what matters the most,” said Metellus. “What you have up in here, that’s what takes you far in this league. And he has it. You can tell he has been a pro his whole life. Just the way he works, the way he goes about things. The way he talks, the way he is intentional about his day-to-day process. It’s very unique, it’s very special. And I think a guy like him, when you implant him into the kind of team we have, it’s only gonna elevate it.
“He has great, great aura. It’s insane the amount of aura he has when he walks in a room. It almost feels a little weird. You can just tell, he has that confidence, but it’s not an over-confidence. It’s more of a poise. He’s definitely due for a big year. I know he is excited to get back out there. I was just talking to him. He spent some good time this offseason. Getting away, but making sure his mind was still right. I’m excited to see what he is going to do this year. I know he is going to do good things.”
#Vikings S Josh Metellus is very high on JJ McCarthy:
“He has great, GREAT aura. It’s insane the amount of aura he has. … I think people are gonna be very surprised to see the type of ball he plays this year.” https://t.co/TFq2MBElBV pic.twitter.com/frR1pWkPYK
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 29, 2025
One positive for McCarthy entering his second season in the NFL is that he has a truly elite receiving option in Justin Jefferson to rely on. So as long as he and Jefferson can get on the same page early on in his career as he learns the ropes of playing in the NFL, McCarthy should prove to be more than serviceable for the Vikings.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.