Kevin O’Connell Gets Candid on JJ McCarthy After Vikings’ Imperfect Win
The Minnesota Vikings captured an improbable road victory against the Detroit Lions in Week 9, which helped save the team’s season from the brink while also at least partially reviving both the fans’ and general sporting public’s faith in the efficacy of head coach Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have been under fire for weeks after letting both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones leave in free agency, and doing so in favor of a then entirely unproven 22-year-old quarterback in J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy started two games to begin the year, playing mostly poorly save for a brilliant fourth-quarter in the season-opener against the Chicago Bears, which won the Vikings that game despite an 11-point deficit. He then suffered a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him for six weeks, during which time backup Carson Wentz led Minnesota to a 2-3 record.
McCarthy returned on Sunday at Ford Field, putting up a solid overall performance and making big plays in the clutch. O’Connell spoke glowingly about his second-year QB during the postgame press conference, after McCarthy removed some of the heaping pressure from O’Connell’s shoulders.
We saw a lot of the things that he’s capable of doing. … He will only get better and better. But 2-0 on the road in the NFC North with him making some critical, critical plays for us to win the game.
Just the feel of him playing quarterback, mixed with his athleticism, protected himself a couple times when he did steal us some yardage. …. Just his presence. He’s a young player in a heck of an environment today. Really he’s had three starts, two of which [came] in very difficult road environments. And his poise, him running the show, I thought was matched by him making some big-time throws.
Really proud of the way he competed and battled today.
Kevin O’Connell, Vikings Hit With Accusations of Hubris for Letting Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones Leave in Free Agency
GettyMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The play of Darnold with the Seattle Seahawks, who are 5-2 heading into a Week 9 matchup with the Washington Commanders on “Sunday Night Football,” and Jones with the Indianapolis Colts, now 7-2 after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9, have haunted O’Connell and the Vikings throughout this season.
The decisions to let both walk during the offseason have led to a considerable amount of skepticism and scrutiny in recent weeks.
“They had Daniel Jones last year, let him go. They had Sam Darnold, they let him go,” Danny Heifetz of The Ringer said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on October 22. “[McCarthy is going to have] more pressure on him than any quarterback going into next year.”
“The Vikings had a very difficult situation, decision, where do you pay Darnold $30 or $40 million a year or do you go with McCarthy? And that’s a hard decision,” Heifetz continued. “So it’s not Monday morning quarterbacking, but they clearly made the wrong decision.”
JJ McCarthy Promises More Good Things to Come for Vikings After Upset Victory Against Lions
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy.
Heifetz’s point may still turn out accurate, as McCarthy has started just three games in his career. However, he didn’t look like the wrong decision on Sunday as he made clutch plays down the stretch to both win and seal a much-needed victory in Detroit.
McCarthy was 14-of-25 passing for 143 yards, two TDs and one INT along with a rushing touchdown. So he was good, though perhaps not great. But it was his poise and the growth that both the quarterback and his team showed with McCarthy back in the lineup that should have Vikings fans at least somewhat optimistic for the second half of the season.
“Obviously a lot of excitement … and I’m just so proud of the guys,” McCarthy told FOX Sports sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi after the game. “We fought, we had a different energy this week, a different level of focus. But there’s a lot more we can clean up.”
“We haven’t reached our potential,” McCarthy continued. “We haven’t even gotten close yet.”
Yankees Urged to Sign Longtime AL East Catcher to Pair With Austin Wells
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Yankees linked to signing veteran catcher to pair with Austin Wells.
The New York Yankees could look to add some catching help this offseason.
New York’s catching duo is Austin Wells and Ben Rice, but Rice could be the long-term answer at first base. If Rice is indeed going to play at first, the Yankees will need to add another veteran.
Yankees insider Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com links New York to signing Danny Jansen of the Milwaukee Brewers. Jansen is a long-time member of the AL East with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays.
“The veteran, right-handed hitting catcher is expected to be a free agent,” Caldera wrote. “Traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Milwaukee Brewers at the July 31 MLB deadline, Jansen earned $8.5 million in 2025 and has a $12 million mutual option for 2026. Jansen, 30, has played with three AL East teams, mostly with Toronto, and the Yankees should be seeking a solid catching complement to the lefty-hitting Austin Wells.”
The option on Jansen is unlikely to be picked up, and the veteran will be one of the top catchers available. He’s a good hitter who’s also known for his defense and can split catching duties with Wells.
Last season, between the Rays and Brewers, Jansen hit .215 with 14 home runs and 36 RBIs. His career high is 17 home runs and 53 RBIs, which he did with the Blue Jays in 2023 in just 86 games.
Yankees Tried Rice at Catcher
Although New York has Wells and Rice under contract, adding a catcher makes a ton of sense.
With Paul Goldschmidt set to be a free agent, the path is open for Rice to be the starting first baseman. If that is the case, adding a catcher is a must.
Yet, last season, Yankees manager Aaron Boone did try Rice at catcher, who had mixed results. But it was a play to get his bat into the lineup. The Athletic’s Yankees reporter Chris Kirschner said that was the reason why Rice played catcher.
“There are two ways the Yankees can maximize Rice’s playing time. Start him at first base when there’s a right-handed pitcher on the mound, or increase his starts behind the plate to supplant the struggling Austin Wells,” Kirschner wrote. “As Wells’ offensive woes continue to pile up, the latter option is looking increasingly compelling.”
“At the beginning of the season, when Rice was mainly getting at-bats as the Yankees’ designated hitter and first baseman, catching coordinator Tanner Swanson said he believed Rice could start for at least a third of MLB teams. Behind the scenes, the Yankees were having Rice catch bullpens and slowly working him into lopsided games behind the plate. He’s now showing he could handle a bigger workload.”
So, with Goldschmidt likely leaving, Rice now has the path to be at first, leaving the backup catcher role open.
What Will Jansen Earn in Free Agency?
Jansen has a $12 million mutual option with the Brewers, which will likely be declined.
The veteran catcher should expect to earn around $8.5 million, which he signed for in 2025 with the Rays.
Jansen isn’t a true starting catcher, as he likely can start between 80-100 games and would be part of a tandem, which would bring his price down.
Yet, with the Yankees, he’s a perfect fit for them. Spotrac has his market value at $7.2 million, which seems on the lower end. Instead, he should get close to $8 million in free agency.
Jansen has appeared in 599 career games over eight seasons in the MLB.
