JJ McCarthy makes unwanted NFL history but Minnesota Vikings hope Patrick Mahomes example will have positive effect on rookie quarterback
JJ McCarthy can look to one man as a guiding light after suffering a season-ending knee injury.
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will miss the entirety of his rookie season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right meniscus.Â
While it was a successful procedure, McCarthy has the dubious distinction of being the first rookie quarterback since the common draft began in 1967 to be selected in the first round and miss his entire rookie season because of an injury.
'Love you Viking nation. I’ll be back in no time,' McCarthy wrote on social media after news of his surgery was confirmed.
It's undoubtedly a major blow for the 21-year-old, who had big expectations ahead his debut season before tearing his meniscus during Minnesota's preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
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McCarthy was a first-round pick for the Vikings after enjoying a national championship campaign with the Michigan Wolverines.
While veteran Sam Darnold was already set to be the Vikings' Week 1 starter, there was increasing belief that McCarthy could have challenged him for QB1 status throughout the 2024 campaign, especially after throwing two touchdown passes against the Raiders in his preseason debut.
That will no longer happen, but Minnesota will be hoping Mahomes' rookie season can be an example to McCarthy as he looks to bounce back better than ever.
'Showtime' might be a three-time Super Bowl winner and Super Bowl MVP in 2024, but in 2017 he was benched for 15 consecutive games because he wasn’t ready for the weekly grind of the NFL.
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Mahomes, a rookie QB from Texas Tech who was widely viewed as a risky first-round pick, was selected 10th overall by the Chiefs who traded up for him.
Although undeniably talented, there were serious question marks over Mahomes' ability to adapt to the pros and lead an NFL offense.
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Many weren't convinced, with NFL writer Steven Ruiz of The Ringer infamously giving the Mahomes pick a C- grade in a freezing cold draft grade score.
Mahomes took note, and patiently waited in the wings as starter Alex Smith played snap after snap.
Veteran Smith started Week 1, Week 2, Week 5 and Week 16 for a 10-6 Chiefs team who were not Super Bowl good but good enough to make the playoffs.
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Eventually, Mahomes got his chance. With a playoff spot and the fourth seed in the playoffs already secured, Andy Reid rested Smith and gave Mahomes his first career start in the Week 17 game against the Denver Broncos.
Mahomes put all that he had learned into practice, completing 22-of-35 passes for 284 yards and a 76.4 rating in a 27–24 win.
Mahomes was only allowed to play in one game that season. Smith was given the starting job back for the playoffs and Kansas City fell 22-21 to Tennessee in an AFC Wild Card game at Arrowhead Stadium.
But with one stellar performance in a meaningless game, Mahomes had shown he was the future. In the next offseason, the Chiefs agreed to trade Smith to the Washington Commanders, elevating Mahomes as a starting quarterback.
Everything else is history for a man who could still surpass Tom Brady's legacy of seven world championships - a record previously thought insurmountable.
It's true Mahomes never suffered the catastrophic injury that McCarthy has ahead of his rookie season.
But the consensus best player in football is the perfect example that redshirting a debut NFL season is far from fatal to careers.
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McCarthy will now spend the rest of 2024 and a good chunk of 2025 rehabilitating from the first major setback of his professional life.
He'll do well to remember that the comeback is often greater than the setback, and may even end up being a better player for it.
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