No one said the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback journey would be a straight line.
It was quite a bumpy one on Sunday, until the end.
That's when J.J. McCarthy helped engineer a go-ahead drive before the Chicago Bears answered to stun the Vikings.
In a different situation, Minnesota might've turned to its backup, who in this case is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
But here, there was never a consideration of that, even as the home fans booed McCarthy. ESPN's Kevin Seifert explained it like this:
"McCarthy is the Vikings' short- and long-term plan at the position. Their first three quarters Sunday were the worst of his season, and McCarthy didn't complete his first pass in the second half until less than three minutes remained in the game. But throughout it all, he never seemed close to being replaced by backup Max Brosmer. Why? First, Brosmer is a rookie and completely untested. Second, the Vikings are committed to McCarthy, which at times -- as coach Kevin O'Connell said last week -- will require putting him in difficult situations. Had O'Connell made the move, McCarthy would have missed the reps that allowed him to spark an 85-yard drive to briefly take the lead in the fourth quarter. Consider it a sacrifice in the development of a quarterback."
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Brosmer got rave reviews in training camp after a solid end to his college career at the University of Minnesota.
But as far as pedigrees are concerned, an undrafted QB is nowhere near a guy who was the No. 10 overall pick.
The Vikings' wagons are hitched to McCarthy. And through the highs and lows, he's got to be their quarterback.
Seifert used the word "sacrifice" to describe that Minnesota may be lowering its chances for this season by keeping McCarthy in and trying to help his development for 2026 and beyond.
So no matter what the second-year QB does, he's probably entrenched in his spot for the time being.
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