Shocking Update: Will J.J. McCarthy Suit Up Against the Lions? Insiders Speak Out!

So, here we are—Minnesota Vikings fans biting their nails as they wait for J.J. McCarthy to shake off that pesky high ankle sprain. Remember when McCarthy dazzled us all as NFC Offensive Player of the Week after that epic comeback against the Bears? Yeah, that feels like a lifetime ago now. The question looming large: will he really be ready to stride back onto the field against the Lions next week, or is this just another hopeful whisper amid cautious optimism? Coach O’Connell’s playing it safe—no QB sneak peeks during Thursday’s short week—so it’ll be Carson Wentz keeping the helm a little longer. But mark my words, the moment McCarthy laces up again, the vibe in U.S. Bank Stadium is gonna flip upside down. Fingers crossed—because a healthy QB9 might just be the spark this season desperately needs!

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 21: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. — (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Vikings are hoping to get quarterback J.J. McCarthy back on the field soon after a high ankle sprain has kept him out since Week 2.

McCarthy was injured during a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, after he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following a comeback win against the Chicago Bears in Week 1.

Reports suggest McCarthy is progressing well, and the Vikings could have him back after facing the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8.

“‘All indications’ point to Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy returning next week against the [Detroit] Lions, Tom Pelissero stated, via KFAN1003,” VikingzFanPage wrote on X.

“All indications” point to #Vikings QB JJ McCarthy returning next week against the #Lions, @TomPelissero stated via @KFAN1003. pic.twitter.com/GXeUSazuex

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 23, 2025

When head coach Kevin O’Connell first disclosed the injury, projections were that McCarthy might miss 2-4 weeks.

That would have positioned him for a Week 7 return against the Philadelphia Eagles, but Minnesota took a more cautious approach.

The Vikings held McCarthy out of that game and will do so again against the Chargers on “Thursday Night Football.”

O’Connell emphasized the importance of ensuring McCarthy is fully healthy before returning to action.

The coach also acknowledged that if Minnesota were playing on Sunday instead of Thursday, there might have been an opportunity to test McCarthy in practice, but the short week eliminated that possibility.

Carson Wentz will start again, with Max Brosmer as the backup and McCarthy listed as the emergency third quarterback.

Wentz has steadied the offense by completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 1,072 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions, surpassing 300 yards twice in his four starts.

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