Mark Wilf: J.J. McCarthy has a "gravitational pull as a leader"

The Vikings saw Sam Darnold leave for Seattle in the offseason, leaving J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback in Minnesota. The team drafted McCarthy in the first round in 2024 to be just that, but he missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury.

The Vikings have expressed confidence in McCarthy since Darnold's departure and that continued this week when co-owner Mark Wilf lauded McCarthy for taking ownership of the job.

"He has a gravitational pull as a leader. He really does," Wilf told Paul Allen of KFAN, via Craig Peters of the team website. "The talent is there. Coach [Kevin] O'Connell is glowing in his praises of how he's handled everything, and from an off-the-field perspective, we couldn't be happier. So all things are pointing the right direction, and we're going to be supporting J.J. to have him be the success we want him to be."

McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024, tore his meniscus in his preseason debut and underwent surgery, ending his season before it began. Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and into the playoffs, where they lost in the wild card round to the Rams.

Now, after a year watching and learning, it's McCarthy's turn.