J.J. McCarthy is set to make his first regular-season appearance with the Minnesota Vikings after missing his entire rookie season due to an injury. The Vikings' quarterback coach, Josh McCown, always had some task for McCarthy to keep him close to the gridiron.

A knee injury kept the No. 10 pick off the field, but McCarthy spent the season preparing in unique ways to be the 2025 starter.

During a recent chat with Kevin Seifert of ESPN, O'Connell touched upon how his experiences with McCarthy throughout the 2024 campaign helped Minnesota determine that the 22-year-old will be ready to serve as Sam Darnold's full-time replacement this September.