NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Minnesota Vikings are kicking themselves right now. Letting Sam Darnold go was never a good idea, and now they are feeling the pain. Yes, we can look at this with 20/20 hindsight now, but even when the decision was made, many were in disbelief.
With the current injury to Carson Wentz, the Vikings are thin at the most important position in football. But they only have themselves to blame. This was all their doing.
Instead of giving the ball back to Darnold, they handed the keys to a successful offense over to a rookie. J.J. McCarthy was technically in his 2nd season, but time on the field still made him a rookie. This would have been a good move if they were the Tennessee Titans or the New Orleans Saints, but this was a team coming off a 14-win season. Why?
Maybe it was the money that Darnold would have commanded. He did sign with the Seattle Seahawks for three years and $100 million. Perhaps the thought was that under KOC, McCarthy would become the next Josh Allen or Drew Brees; after all, maybe he would replicate the success that Darnold had with that potent offense. No such luck, so far.
McCarthy has played in just 2 games for the Vikings since being drafted in 2024. He has thrown for 301 yards and 2 TDs, and 3 INTS. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Darnold has picked up where he left off with the Vikings with 1754 yards and 12TDs. And the Seahawks are tied for first in the NFC West.
Maybe McCarthy will make it back on the field Sunday when the Vikings take on the Lions. Maybe he will sit out another week. And with each passing game, the organization will hear it from the fans and the media, and maybe even the locker room
The truth is, there is no reason why an NFL team would hand over the keys to a rookie QB coming off a winning season. No idea what they saw in McCarthy that would have them believe the rookie was ready to take on such a huge responsibility. With Jalen Hurts down, would the Eagles throw in a rookie? Would the Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills put in a rookie for Patrick Mahomes or Allen? But see, that’s the issue, Darnold wasn’t hurt, the Vikings just let him walk.
Imagine being a skilled player like Justin Jefferson or Aaron Jones and being told we’re letting the signal caller go who helped you win 14 games for a rookie. Yes, he has some potential, but was that potential enough to keep the ship rolling?
Not to put bad juju on the young QB, but he can’t stay on the field. And when he does play, he has not been lights out. Now the Vikings have a decision to make this season and next. My guess is they will not draft another QB in 2026, but come this offseason, what will they do?
Do they draft another QB or go the route of a veteran? Hell, even the brain-dead Browns did not throw their two rookies into the fire right away. They signed veteran QB Joe Flacco. Why didn’t the Vikings look at their blueprint?
Sam Darnold is proving that last season was not a fluke as he’s still producing for the Seahawks and should have them in the playoffs this season, while the Minnesota Vikings are grasping at straws, trying to figure out how they let this happen.
Jefferson and Jordan Addison should be tearing the league up. Instead, Darnold has Jaxon Smith-Njigba looking like the next Jefferson, while Cooper Kupp has shown signs of life outside of the Rams.
14 wins, 14 damn wins, and you let your best QB leave, and he’s having similar success while you’re sitting back watching and wondering. The Minnesota Vikings had the skilled players, they had the defense, they had the coach, and most importantly, they had the QB.
