Vikings' J.J. McCarthy Gets Brutal Honesty from Former Teammate

Blake Corum defends his former Michigan QB amid struggles in Minnesota

Apr. 5, 2026 at 8:21pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has faced significant struggles in his young NFL career so far, including injuries, poor statistical performance, and the team signing veteran Kyler Murray in free agency. However, McCarthy's former Michigan teammate Blake Corum has come to his defense, offering words of encouragement and belief in McCarthy's potential despite the criticism he has faced.

Why it matters

McCarthy was expected to be the Vikings' starting QB, but his inability to stay healthy and produce at a high level has led the team to bring in Murray to compete for the job. Corum's public support for his former college teammate could be important in McCarthy maintaining confidence and motivation to prove his doubters wrong.

The details

Through his first two NFL seasons, including playoffs, McCarthy has only been available for 10 of a possible 35 games, failing to finish two of them. His advanced stats in 2025 were also concerning, ranking near the bottom of the league in several key categories like completion percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating, and interceptions. This led the Vikings to sign Kyler Murray in free agency, creating a quarterback competition that McCarthy is unlikely to win.

  • In the 2025 season, McCarthy struggled with injuries and poor performance.
  • The Vikings signed Kyler Murray in free agency ahead of the 2026 season.

The players

J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings' young quarterback who has faced significant struggles and injuries in his first two NFL seasons.

Blake Corum

A former Michigan teammate of McCarthy's who now plays for the Los Angeles Rams, and has publicly defended McCarthy amid the criticism he has faced.

Kyler Murray

The veteran quarterback signed by the Vikings in free agency to compete with McCarthy for the starting job.

Kevin O'Connell

The head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, who has stated there will be a true competition for the starting quarterback job this offseason.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The ceiling is so high for J.J. You've got to think, his rookie year, he went down with the injury. Last year, he had a bunch of injuries, as well, so he hasn't been on the field much. He hasn't really had a lot of playing time that quarterbacks need.”

— Blake Corum, Former Michigan Teammate

“J.J. is a field general. I think he's going to take the challenge that they've given him, obviously bringing in Kyler Murray, there's gonna be a competition. That's going to light a fire under him. But he's just an overall good human being. He's a competitor.”

— Blake Corum, Former Michigan Teammate

“I know he's no someone who's going to let naysayers or outsiders determine the type of player he's going to be. He still has the pencil in his own hand. He's still writing his story. I think this is going to be a great year for J.J., and I'm super excited to see him prove everyone wrong.”

— Blake Corum, Former Michigan Teammate

What’s next

The Vikings' quarterback competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray will be a major storyline to follow throughout the offseason and into the 2026 NFL season.

The takeaway

Despite the struggles and doubts surrounding J.J. McCarthy's NFL future, his former college teammate Blake Corum has provided a strong public defense of McCarthy's abilities and potential. This support could be crucial in McCarthy maintaining confidence and motivation to prove his critics wrong and win back the Vikings' starting job.