TJ Hockenson makes honest Matthew Stafford admission about JJ McCarthy

JJ McCarthy, former Michigan Wolverines quarterback, was the first-ever rookie quarterback to miss debut season after being drafted in first round.

TJ Hockenson makes honest Matthew Stafford admission about JJ McCarthy

TJ Hockenson, Matthew Stafford, JJ McCarthy (Images via Getty Images/New York Post)

In 2024, the Minnesota Vikings drafted JJ McCarthy, a 21-year-old quarterback from La Grange Park, Illinois, with the tenth overall pick. McCarthy, who arrived from leading the Michigan Wolverines to their first title in decades, was projected to become a starter despite the presence of a veteran quarterback in the midst.

Yet, the excitement was short-lived. McCarthy tore the meniscus in his right knee during early workouts and underwent surgery, sidelining him for the entirety of his rookie campaign. He also became the first-ever rookie quarterback to miss out an entire season after being drafted in the first round.

While he recovered on injured reserve, veteran Sam Darnold stepped in and put together one of the most surprising career revivals in recent memory — guiding the Vikings to 14 wins and a playoff appearance.

Now 22 and fully cleared for football activity, McCarthy returns to a very different quarterback room. Darnold has signed with the Seattle Seahawks, former backup Daniel Jones landed in Indianapolis. As the presumed starter, it is indeed a fresh beginning for McCarthy who’s still waiting to make his NFL debut.

Ahead of what ideally is his first season, the noise around the quarterback has been very positive. TJ Hockenson, a two-time Pro Bowler and Vikings TE, showered praises on the rookie, in an appearance on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast.

Hockenson compared JJ McCarthy to Super Bowl winning-quarterback Matthew Stafford, whom he played with during his Detroit Lions tenure.

A sick arm. I remember catching passes from [Stafford], and it was one of those balls where it just zips on ya. It looks like it’s not coming, but it’s coming. And J.J.’s got the juice behind it where it kind of has that effect…. He’s got insane arm talent, and really the personality that he has goes really well, and I think he’s gonna have a long career.

TJ Hockenson said

It is no small deal to be compared to Stafford. Stafford, 37, is one of the most respected quarterbacks in NFL history with a loaded stat wagon. He is an active member of the league’s top ten passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass attempts, and pass completions list.

Furthermore, he is also the fastest quarterback to record 40,000 pass yards – which currently stands at 59,809 yards. If McCarthy got the arm like Stafford, the Vikings fan base has something really good to look forward to.

JJ McCarthy has a high bar of expectations awaiting him

The Minnesota Vikings, the franchise with the highest regular season and combined winning percentage among the ones without a Super Bowl to their name, played a dangerous game in the past season. In 2024, as mentioned above, Sam Darnold led a comeback for ages, when everyone wrote him off.

JJ McCarthy
JJ McCarthy (Image via Imago)

The Vikings have built a stellar offensive lineup to protect McCarthy in the coming season. In OL, they drafted Donovan Jackson, signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, and Christian Darrisaw is healthy and back on field. They have covered all bases for protection and boasts the presence of skill players like Hockenson and Justin Jefferson. There’s one element left to see and CBS’ Cody Benjamin raised it recently.

What does J.J. McCarthy have in him? The second-year quarterback should have one of the NFL’s most favorable setups, inheriting a restocked line and electric pass-catching corps. Still, he’s 22 with zero actual NFL experience, and Vikings fans watched Sam Darnold win 14 games a year ago. The bar is actually quite high for such a young leader.

Cody Benjamin noted

The media hasn’t let McCarthy in peace either – since the past season, the Illinois kid has been haunted by questions of his performance. The NFC North has proven to be quite the division in the past years with strong competition from the Detroit Lions right up to the end. There’s no denying the next season would be any different.

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