Packers Player Calls Out McCarthy: ‘He’s Not There Yet’ Amid Vikings Hype
As the Minnesota Vikings’ young quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, continues to make waves in the NFL, one prominent voice has called for a reality check. A Packers player, speaking on the condition of anonymity, had some harsh words for McCarthy, questioning whether the hype surrounding him is premature.
The comments come as McCarthy, who made the leap from college football to the NFL with high expectations, has struggled to meet the lofty standards set by both fans and analysts alike. While the Vikings continue to back their young quarterback, the frustrations are beginning to surface, and questions about whether McCarthy is truly ready to lead the team in such a competitive league are growing louder.
McCarthy’s performance this season has been a mixed bag. Though he has flashed potential with occasional highlight-worthy plays, his overall numbers have been underwhelming. The quarterback's completion percentage has hovered around 54.1%, and he’s thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. While these stats might be expected from a rookie in the NFL, the pressure is building for McCarthy to show more consistency, especially given the hype surrounding his arrival.
The Vikings' high expectations for McCarthy have only added to the scrutiny. Minnesota invested heavily in the quarterback, placing much of their future success on his shoulders. With a roster full of talent and a solid coaching staff under Kevin O'Connell, there’s a sense that the Vikings are in a "win-now" window — but can McCarthy deliver?
The Packers player’s comments reflect an understanding of how difficult it is to transition into the NFL. The league is notorious for humbling even the most talented quarterbacks, and rookies often face steep learning curves. However, the reality is that the Vikings’ playoff hopes may not align with McCarthy’s development timeline. If the Vikings continue to fall short in critical games, the front office and fans may begin to question whether they were too hasty in giving McCarthy the starting role.
Still, McCarthy has the tools to succeed — his strong arm, mobility, and leadership skills are undeniable. If the Vikings are patient with his growth and give him time to adjust to the demands of the NFL, McCarthy could eventually prove that the hype surrounding him was not misplaced.
For now, however, the Packers player’s critique serves as a reminder that the journey from college star to NFL superstar is rarely a straight line. While McCarthy may have a bright future, he still has a long way to go before he can live up to the sky-high expectations placed upon him.
Jahmyr Gibbs' game-winning touchdown run shows exactly why the Lions' rushing attack is one of the NFL's scariest
The Detroit Lions gutted their way to a 34-27 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, and there's one man who had the game of all games. That was the guy in the cape on the field wearing the 0 on his chest: Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Lions' star running back finished the day with a whopping 264 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. But it was his 69-yard touchdown in overtime that deserves all the extra looks, so I looped in A to Z NFL's Kyle Crabbs to break it down and tell us exactly what happened on what eventually became Detroit's game-winning play in Week 12.
JAHMYR GIBBS TO THE HOUSE ON THE FIRST PLAY OF OT
HE HAS 219 YDS AND 3 TDs
(via @Lions)pic.twitter.com/imqOxyWZIa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 23, 2025
Gibbs' touchdown run is ultimate proof of how lethal the Lions' rushing attack can be
Kyle: Gibbs gets the glory for a 69-yard scoring romp on the first play of the overtime period to bring the Lions all the way back, but there are six other Lions deserving of acknowledgement for their efforts on this play.
First, at the point of attack, center Graham Glasgow and rookie right guard Tate Ratledge eject Giants defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris a full three yards off the ball on a combination block up to the MIKE to create a whole lot of extra stress to the run fits. Right tackle Penei Sewell gets a clean release up to the second level to fit LB Bobby Okereke, who makes Sewell's job even easier by trying to jump over Sewell's block, which makes Gibbs' running lane even bigger and, as a result of how Okereke attacked the block, completely walled off.
But how about this trio of skill players for Detroit? You want to talk about physical eligibles who can help you win in the run game? Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa successfully stalks up to the second level to block Giants corner Andru Phillips and seal him from providing lateral support on this run. Brock Wright manages to win across the face of a crashing Brian Burns, allowing Gibbs to cut off his hip and accelerate vertically into space. And none of this run happens without Amon-Ra St. Brown on a short motion getting down inside of safety Jevon Holland, who was walked down in the slot against Detroit's condensed formation and came on a blitz on the play.
When I say every player to the right of the left guard not only won their assignment, they won it convincingly, that's the kind of recipe that leaves Gibbs untouched into the secondary with only safety Dane Belton to beat in a footrace to the end zone. Ballgame.
Mike: Gibbs had been he bright side of the Lions' offense outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown in this one. After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked about how he knew he wanted to get Gibbs extra involved on offense in an effort to not just score, but also run the clock down and make it harder on the Giants for their possession. Instead, Gibbs just took it right to the house.
According to St. Brown, even he felt the same way:
“The craziest thing ever. Overtime’s starting. I told (receiver coach/assistant head coach) Scottie Montgomery, ‘Scottie, let’s run the ball. Trust me, we’ve just got to run in,'" St. Brown said. “Scottie’s like, ‘Yeah, I agree. Let’s do it.’ I told (running backs coach Tashard) Choice, ‘Just run it.'"
Welp, everyone was on the same page for this one, just like the on-field product, and it worked out in the best way possible as it helped the Lions avoid their fifth loss of the season while keeping pace with the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears.
