Vikings’ 2025 schedule puts QB J.J. McCarthy in the NFL’s most prominent spots

New Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be playing under frequent spotlights in his first year under center.

McCarthy and the Vikings are scheduled to play seven nationally televised games, including four nighttime kickoffs, on the 2025 regular-season slate that was announced Wednesday.

That’s the prize for winning 14 games a season ago, vaulting the Vikings into the category of prime-time darlings for NFL schedule-makers. Only the Kansas City Chiefs have more nationally televised games next season than Minnesota.

At the start of the Vikings offseason program in late April, McCarthy was asked about embracing pressure.

“I came across this quote people with ADHD, they find calm in the chaos and chaos in the calm,” McCarthy said. “I’ve always felt like ever since I was a kid just any competitive environment I was in I felt like I was at home. Obviously, playing at Michigan, there’s 110,000 [fans] and you’re one of the most prominent universities out there. I feel like that’s where I feel most comfortable -- when the lights are the brightest. ... I know there’s going to be a lot more of that to come.”

Sept. 8, 7:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC

What is expected to be McCarthy’s first NFL start will be a return to his home state on “Monday Night Football.” The La Grange Park, Ill., native faces a divisional road test against new Bears head coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator. The Bears’ busy offseason included a coaching swap and an offensive line overhaul that saw Chicago trade for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and sign veteran center Drew Dalman in free agency.

The Vikings’ second straight nationally televised game to begin the McCarthy era comes against the Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr., another 2024 first-round quarterback. Penix took over for former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins at the end of last season, averaging 246 yards and throwing three touchdown passes to three picks over three starts. For now, Cousins remains as Atlanta’s QB2.

Sept. 21, noon, CBS

In a reunion of the historic 2019 LSU national champion offense, receiver Justin Jefferson will face his former teammates Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase for the third time in the NFL. The Vikings lost the previous two matchups; Burrow, the Bengals quarterback, played only once. Chase, a receiver, signed for $40.25 million annually this offseason, surpassing Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett ($40 million) and Jefferson ($35 million) as the highest-paid player among non-quarterbacks.

Sept. 28, 8:30 a.m., NFL Network

The Vikings become the first NFL team to play back-to-back international games in different countries, starting with the Steelers in Dublin’s Croke Park. The Vikings have lost three straight road trips to Pittsburgh, but they’ll get to avoid Heinz Field this time. Coach Kevin O’Connell told British reporters this week that neutral-site games are a better backdrop for McCarthy than Pittsburgh or Cleveland: “Those can be some hostile environments going on the road in the AFC North for a young quarterback depending on when those games could fall.”

After a roughly three-day trip in Ireland, the Vikings will head to London, where they’ll play the Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That’s where the Vikings have won back-to-back overseas trips under O’Connell — against the Saints in 2022 and the Jets last season. The Vikings previously beat the Browns at Twickenham Stadium in 2017 and are 4-0 in London games, not counting the 1983 exhibition, which they also won, over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Emily Leiker, Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer of the Minnesota Star Tribune break down the Vikings schedule on the Access Vikings podcast:

Oct. 19, noon, Fox

The Vikings return from the bye week to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles at home. The Vikings fumbled away a 34-28 game in Philadelphia in 2023. This offseason, Minnesota signed two former Eagles defenders — defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and cornerback Isaiah Rodgers — to try to prevent that kind of shootout from happening again.

Oct. 23, 7:15 p.m., Prime Video

Nov. 2, noon, Fox

After claiming the NFC’s No. 1 seed last year, the Lions are recovering from brain drain, having lost both coordinators in Aaron Glenn and Johnson to the Jets and Bears. Lions coach Dan Campbell hired offensive coordinator John Morton from the Denver Broncos and promoted Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator.

Nov. 9, noon, Fox

Two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson will travel to Minnesota (and Green Bay) for the first time in his eight-year NFL career this season. Jackson lifted the Ravens over the Vikings in their only previous meeting, a 34-31 overtime loss for Minnesota in 2021, when Jackson threw for 266 yards and ran for another 120 yards.

Nov. 16, noon, Fox

Nov. 23, noon, Fox

The Vikings swept the season series with Green Bay last year for the first time since 2017. To repeat with McCarthy, they’ll have to start with a win at Lambeau Field in late November. Last year’s high temperature on Nov. 23 in Green Bay was 43 degrees, so it likely won’t be another ice bowl.

Nov. 30, 3:05 p.m., Fox

The Vikings are familiar with traveling to Seattle — this is their fifth trip in the past eight seasons — but this has new twists. This offseason, the Seahawks acquired two of O’Connell’s former players in ex-Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.

Dec. 7, noon, Fox

Dec. 14, 7:20 p.m., NBC

The Dallas Cowboys are in another state of transition under owner Jerry Jones, who decided not to bring back coach Mike McCarthy (or defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer) and promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to his first head coaching gig. Dallas traded for former Steelers receiver George Pickens to pair with star CeeDee Lamb.

Dec. 21, noon, Fox

The Vikings return to MetLife Stadium, where they’ve won their past three trips against the Jets and Giants, including last year’s season-opening, 28-6 win over then-Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Now it’ll be Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston or first-round passer Jaxson Dart under center as fourth-year coach Brian Daboll tries to turn around the franchise.

Dec. 25, 3:30 p.m., Netflix

Jan. 3 or 4, 2026, TBD

With Christmas on a Thursday, the Vikings will get at least eight days to prepare for the season finale against the Packers at home, where Minnesota held on to a 27-25 win over Green Bay last year. This offseason, the Packers drafted the speedy Matthew Golden out of Texas — the Packers’ only first-round receiver since 2002 — while Christian Watson recovers from a torn ACL.