Vikings Eyeing Marcus Mariota to Mentor Young QB J.J. McCarthy

Connection between Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell and Mariota could lead to Washington backup joining Minnesota

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Minnesota Vikings are in need of a veteran quarterback to help guide their young signal-caller J.J. McCarthy, and the Washington Commanders' backup Marcus Mariota could be an ideal fit. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell previously worked as a private quarterback coach for Mariota leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, and that connection could make Minnesota an attractive landing spot for the free agent QB.

Why it matters

The Vikings are not ready to fully hand the reins to McCarthy, their 2024 first-round pick, after an injury-plagued and uneven second season. Bringing in a veteran mentor like Mariota could help get McCarthy back on track and evaluate his long-term viability as the franchise QB.

The details

O'Connell's prior relationship with Mariota and the veteran QB's experience mentoring younger passers like Jayden Daniels make him an ideal fit in Minnesota. Mariota has shown he can still contribute if needed, unlike some of the older free agent options the Vikings are considering like Joe Flacco or Aaron Rodgers.

  • The Vikings are evaluating their quarterback situation ahead of the 2026 season.
  • The NFL's open negotiating period begins on March 9, 2026.

The players

Kevin O'Connell

The head coach of the Minnesota Vikings who previously worked as a private quarterback coach for Marcus Mariota.

Marcus Mariota

The backup quarterback for the Washington Commanders who is set to become a free agent and could be an attractive option for the Vikings to mentor young QB J.J. McCarthy.

J.J. McCarthy

The Vikings' 2024 first-round draft pick at quarterback who struggled with injuries in his first two NFL seasons and needs a veteran mentor to help get his career back on track.

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What they’re saying

“The Vikings are not ready to give up on J.J. McCarthy, their 2024 first-round pick who missed his rookie season because of a knee injury and struggled mightily through an injury-riddled second season in 2025. But they also aren't ready to hand McCarthy the keys for 2026.”

— Dan Graziano, ESPN Reporter (ESPN)

“Bringing in a veteran quarterback who has had some success in the league could be what the Vikings need to get McCarthy's attention. It would remind him about the parts of his game he still needs to work on and get him back on track to where Minnesota can hopefully harness his talent and build him into the franchise QB it thought he was when it drafted him.”

— Jeremy Fowler, ESPN Reporter (ESPN)

What’s next

The Vikings will evaluate their options at quarterback during the open negotiating period that begins on March 9, 2026, with Marcus Mariota emerging as a potential target to mentor young QB J.J. McCarthy.

The takeaway

The Vikings' connection with Marcus Mariota through head coach Kevin O'Connell could make the veteran quarterback an ideal fit in Minnesota to serve as a mentor for the team's young signal-caller J.J. McCarthy and help get the 2024 first-round pick back on track after an injury-plagued start to his NFL career.