The single idea and phrase that has been attached the most to Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell as he has earned the unofficial title of Quarterback Whisperer is this:
“Organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.”
It drives home multiple points at once: That a young quarterback needs the right support around him on many fronts to succeed; that organizations must be cautious in their timelines; that too often we label quarterbacks as “busts” when really it was the system or team around him that was the problem.
O’Connell proved his point in 2024 when the Vikings helped Sam Darnold rehabilitate his career: from first-round flameout to journeyman to Pro Bowl QB and coveted free agent.
The ability of O’Connell and his staff to nurture young quarterback J.J. McCarthy on his journey surely played a role in the organization’s decision to draft him in 2024 and then hand him the keys in 2025.
Eight quarters and one ankle injury into McCarthy’s tenure as a starting NFL quarterback, it is instructive to revisit O’Connell’s favorite phrase as we try to parse the obvious downside but also the potential upside of McCarthy missing some time.
I talked about it on Tuesday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Let’s drill down even more at the start of today’s 10 things to know:
