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Vikings Legend Has Not So Hidden Message for Starting QB
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- Vikings Legend Has Not So Hidden Message for Starting QB
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in prime time on Sunday Night Football. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention with a 5-8 record pregame, they still came out and did the thing.
It was among the better J.J. McCarthy performances of the season. There haven't been a ton of them , and this final stretch is important for the 22-year-old to show competence.
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
While he may have achieved that on Sunday night, despite a questionable touchdown decision , not everyone is convinced. Count Cris Carter among them , and he's probably not speaking solely from his own mind.
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Cris Carter still skeptical about MN Vikings JJ McCarthy
Former Minnesota Vikings superstar Cris Carter has not been shy about his feelings regarding J.J. McCarthy. Following the 250 yard output against the Dallas Cowboys , it doesn't appear he is any more convinced. The Hall of Famer talked with Kay Adams on Monday morning.
Justin Jefferson has seen a MAJOR dip in his numbers this year…
HOF WR Cris Carter explains what's different: @criscarter80 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/AmHybGe5ZM— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) December 15, 2025
"Well for one this is the first time during JJ's career, that being Justin Jefferson, that they can't attack the full field. Ever since his rookie year, in KOC's offense, they've been able to throw the ball, especially take deep shots down the field, especially off the play action. You can see he's starting to press, these are not the same numbers that he's used to. Randy Moss had some of the same issues…that when things became difficult, and they only got difficult with inconsistency at quarterback…I think KOC is doing a great job by meeting with him on a weekly basis…to me I just would have said something. I'm sure JJ is doing a great job of being the team leader and everything we need him to be, and I'm glad he's not doing things like that outwardly…
Him and KOC are on the same page. We gotta make this guy, we gotta make this work…JJ is doing the right thing. He's saying all of the right stuff as a franchise player. I talk to him off the record, so trust me he knows what's going on. As a leader, he realizes it's most important that he says and stays on the right page with KOC at this point in his career."
There was a good amount of dialogue between Cris Carter and Kay Adams . You don't have to dig too deep to see where the tea leaves are pointing though.
Carter is a former NFL wide receiver. He's in the Hall of Fame and has nearly 14,000 yards to his credit . In short, he gets it. Justin Jefferson is a superstar that is going to waste in his prime with awful individual performances tied to a quarterback incapable of helping him succeed.
As of last night Justin Jefferson is no longer the NFL's all-time receiving YPG leader.
Puka Nacua – 93.7
Justin Jefferson – 90.8— Ted (@tlschwerz) December 16, 2025
After Sunday night's victory, in which eight targets were turned into just two receptions for 22 yards, Jefferson's all-time yards per game record came crashing down. McCarthy is the only quarterback, including Carson Wentz and Nick Mullens , that Jefferson has played with and is incapable of figuring it out.
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Right now the superstar is doing a great job of toeing the company line. He signed an extension and did so without showing himself to be a diva . He's dealing with a young quarterback in over his head and not creating a distraction either.
If you think Carter is speaking solely on his own accord though, or if Jefferson doesn't have feelings that will certainly be made present this offseason, then you aren't paying attention.
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