Vikings have had a disastrous start to 2025 season, and it has landed multiple people on the hot seat heading into the stretch run
Not everyone will return next season.
It’s been a very frustrating season for the Minnesota Vikings. Sitting at 4-6, a push for the playoffs feels out of the question, especially with the performance the Vikings have at the quarterback position.
The biggest issue for the Vikings hasn’t just been injuries, it’s also been the play of J.J. McCarthy. He’s found a way to thrive in clutch situations, including his near game-winning drive on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. However, he was very inconsistent mechanically, which was the biggest reason why the Vikings have struggled.
Needless to say, the fanbase is looking for a scapegoat. They want answers across the board. Who could end up being the scapegoat and is on the biggest hot seat? There are a few candidates that meet that description.
Minnesota Vikings on the biggest hot seat
QB Coach Josh McCown
The lack of development with McCarthy’s mechanics has been the focus of nearly every Vikings discussion over the last few weeks. The biggest issue has been his base and footwork being all over the place. No matter what game you put on, he’s all over the place.
When you talk about the mechanics at the position and who can help McCarthy develop, the number one coach you go to is the quarterbacks coach. Yes, O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips also have a lot to do with him, but nobody spends more time with the quarterback than the position coach. Is it a situation where McCown isn’t a good developer? With how little development we’ve seen in McCarthy, there are a lot of questions to answer. McCown could be let go for that reason.
ST Coordinator Matt Daniels
When you look at the Vikings special teams, it feels like a good unit because they make big plays. Myles Price has had a lot of really good returns, and the have blocked multiple field goals. Ultimately, it’s not the big plays that define them, but rather the mistakes.
The Vikings are tied for third in special teams penalties with 18 and they have impacted the Vikings to a tune of 606 yards per TruMedia. What’s even worse is how much it’s hindered the Vikings on kickoff returns. They lead the league in penalties on kickoff returns with 12. That has been the biggest factor for the Vikings issues on special teams, wiping out multiple huge returns, including a 99 yard touchdown return by Price. There are also schematic issues with the units, and that is all on Daniels. Having explosive plays doesn’t matter a whole lot when you keep shooting yourself in the foot.
QB J.J. McCarthy
The biggest issue across the board has been McCarthy. We know that he’s only started and played in five games in the NFL, but McCarthy is in his second season. It’s been a really interesting discussion when talking about his issues, and the chatter has been nothing short of one sided.
Of all first-round pick quarterbacks since 2015, McCarthy has the third-worse off target percentage, slightly ahead of Caleb Williams. That’s not a list you want to be on, especially when the two players worse than you are Trey Lance and Anthony Richardson.
There are questions about the Vikings from a short and long-term perspective, and there will continue to be discussions about his mechanics. The big thing that we need to answer is about his mechanics. How much will they improve and do the Vikings need to cut bait quickly, a la Josh Rosen? We are quite a ways from that discussion, but this team is primed to win. The group of weapons and offensive line are top tier, and it feels to many like this window is being wasted on a quarterback who can’t hit wide receivers with any consistency.
The door is not closed on McCarthy still being a good quarterback, but the trajectory is certainly concerning.
Minnesota Vikings News
Kevin O’Connell’s quote about J.J. McCarthy’s mechanics is taken wildly out of context, and it highlights a harsh truth
Nothing can ever be normal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota Vikings News
Minnesota Vikings path to fixing QB J.J. McCarthy could be making one offensive change, and the same was true with Carson Wentz
It’s a very simple chance, but it could work immediately.
