Vikings Make JJ McCarthy’s 1st Start Even More Special with New Reveal

Training camp is over, the preseason is done, and this year's roster cuts have been announced. The Minnesota Vikings can finally turn their attention to the 2025 NFL season, where they'll attempt to secure back-to-back playoff berths for the first time in 16 years, as well as try to capture their first NFC North crown since 2022.

The Vikings' 2025 journey will begin with a Week 1 showdown against the rival Chicago Bears, which is a game bearing more significance than just being the season opener. The upcoming NFC North clash will also mark Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy's regular-season debut, giving fans insight as to whether or not he can handle being the franchise's starting signal-caller.

Any player's NFL debut is a big deal; however, the Vikings just made an announcement that has only added to the excitement surrounding McCarthy's Week 1 start.

Vikings Name QB JJ McCarthy a Team Captain Before Week 1

Quarterbacks tend to be a team's leader, and McCarthy will officially have evidence to support that claim. The Vikings announced their team captains for the 2025 NFL season on Thursday afternoon, with the list revealing the second-year QB as one of the eight annual leaders. The list also includes:

• Andrew DePaola, LS
• Jonathan Greenard, OLB
• Justin Jefferson, WR
• Aaron Jones Sr., RB
• John Metellus, S
• Brian O'Neill, OT
• Harrison Smith, S

The Vikings also revealed that a photo of this year's captain group "placed in the 'Jim Marshall Vikings Captains Legacy' display," which was created last season in honor of the beloved 14-time captain who passed away earlier this summer.

McCarthy receiving captaincy before his NFL debut shows how much faith head coach Kevin O'Connell has in his quarterback. The former Michigan Wolverine has clearly shown leadership qualities, both off and on the gridiron, throughout the offseason, leaving Minnesota's coaching staff more than comfortable to put him in a leadership role five months before his 23rd birthday.

Jones and Greenard are also first-time captains with the Vikings, so McCarthy isn't the only one in unfamiliar territory. Fortunately, they have an experienced crop of teammates to help guide them, and that's without mentioning the recently returned Adam Thielen, who was a multi-time captain towards the end of his first stint with the franchise.

Even if he wasn't named a captain, expectations would've still been high for McCarthy this season, as they are for former first-rounders. He'll have big shoes to fill after Sam Darnold's unexpected Pro Bowl performance last season, but weapons like Jefferson, Jones, Thielen, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison (after his suspension) will give McCarthy a great chance to succeed in Year 1.

NFL teams will only go as far as their leaders will take them, and it'll be up to McCarthy to prove that he can lead by example as early as Week 1.

More Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors: