J.J. McCarthy’s ‘mentality has changed’ as the Vikings quarterback tries to let loose

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy said Thursday that the Vikings coaching staff’s recent shift with his development “frees up a lot of space mentally” as they try to get more out of him and their 29th-ranked passing offense with five games left in the regular season.

Coach Kevin O’Connell said he wants McCarthy, entering his seventh start on Sunday against the Washington Commanders, to have a “clear head and a clear mind” as coaches prioritize his decision making. They’ve asked McCarthy to worry less about his work-in-progress throwing mechanics and footwork and more on making the right decisions with the ball. He’s committed 11 turnovers in six starts. The Vikings, 2-4 with McCarthy, have thrown a league-worst 19 interceptions this season.

“A lot of the mentality has changed,” McCarthy said. “I was so focused on doing every rep perfect and making sure every little detail was crossed and checked off. I feel like coach O’Connell and coach [Josh] McCown talking to me like, ‘Hey, let’s worry about that stuff in the offseason. Go out there, play your ball, just execute the play at the end of the day,’ that frees up a lot of space mentally. Be instinctual, react, respond to what the defense is giving me.”

McCarthy called himself a “natural overthinker,” which he pinpointed as a root cause for some of his struggles. O’Connell has talked about McCarthy’s inconsistent footwork, posture and throwing motion as areas that coaches continue to refine to improve his accuracy and touch. McCarthy said he’s been overthinking those tips in games.

“It’s not against them,” he said of coaches. “I need to do a better job of compartmentalizing those coaching points and realizing when it’s game time, it’s time to let it loose.”

“It’s not like I’m totally disregarding all the coaching points,” he added. “But it’s picking and choosing which ones you carry into game day with and what’s going to be the most effective way of completing that play.”

McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024 out of Michigan, was asked if he felt he needed to prove something to the team with the next five games. He has averaged about 155 yards through six starts while scoring eight touchdowns (two rushing) and committing those 11 turnovers.

Staying on the field is also a work in progress.

McCarthy has missed 23 of 29 games because of injuries. He was cleared from the concussion protocol on Wednesday after missing Sunday’s loss in Seattle. He was placed in the concussion protocol after taking five sacks and additional hits while on the run during the Nov. 23 loss in Green Bay.

“I would say every single game kind of feels like you get kicked in the face by a donkey,” McCarthy said. “You got the whiplash. You got the headaches and all that. But the NFL, they’re very cautious with the head injuries.”

McCarthy, 22, said he’s learned to be mindful about sliding or finding the sideline when on the run.

“Once you take a couple of those licks,” McCarthy said, “it’s very easy to be like, ‘OK, I understand now.’”

“Where I feel like I’ve grown the most [is] whatever happened on the outcome, eliminate the emotion,” McCarthy said. “Eliminate that kind of, ‘Shoot,’ and just be like, ‘OK, what did I feel there? What was wrong?’ And learn from it. Don’t just feel sorry about yourself.”