JJ McCarthy Is Cooked — Vikings QB Delivers One Of The Worst Passes You’ll Ever See [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
JJ McCarthy has had plenty riding on this preseason. Saturday’s game against the Ravens gave him another chance to show his critics up.
McCarthy started under center for Minnesota’s second preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium, working with the offense against Baltimore after splitting first-team reps with Kyler Murray throughout camp.
Murray officially won the starting job earlier this month, leaving McCarthy to fight for the backup role behind him.
One play from Saturday’s game quickly became the center of attention, however.
McCarthy Sailed A Pass Over A Wide-Open Receiver
Footage shared online shows McCarthy dropping back with pressure closing in around him. He fired a pass toward the end zone intended for receiver Myles Price, who had separated cleanly from coverage with no defender within several yards.
The throw sailed high, forcing Price to leap and stretch but ultimately falling incomplete on what should have been an easy score.
“Plays like this are hard to watch from JJ,” one X account claimed. “Should be a TD 100/100 times. Have to settle down and take some heat off these throws.”
Check it out below:
“JJ damn near needs to take reps at WR in practice so he can understand what a catchable ball is,” one fan suggested.
JJ damn near needs take reps at WR in practice so he can understand what a catchable ball is.
Watch how often his back foot comes off the ground. He doesn’t seem to comprehend that every throw doesn’t need to be 100mph heater.
— Sensei (@NBA_Sensei_) August 22, 2026
Another asked bluntly, “Where’s his touch? Why is every ball he throws a piss missile?”
Where’s his touch? Why is every ball he throws a piss missile?
— berry bro🍓 (@carpathianr1dge) August 22, 2026
Not every response placed the blame entirely on McCarthy.
One fan pushed back, noting he “had a guy in his face” and pointing out that Price appeared to slip before the throw arrived.
Are we not seeing him having to side arm that pass because of the defender and not to mention the WR slipped before hand
— Michael (@ThaTexans) August 22, 2026
“Dude had a guy in his face? Gets batted down if it’s a 100/100 TD throw,” another noted.
Dude had a guy in his face? Gets batted down if it’s a 100/100 TD throw. pic.twitter.com/3IWl041Ugp
— Mitchell 🔥🆙 (@Mitchigan16) August 22, 2026
The Overthrow Fits A Pattern Scouts Have Flagged Before
The criticism echoes concerns that have followed McCarthy since his rookie season.
NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner broke down this exact issue on ESPN earlier this year, explaining that McCarthy’s tendency to throw at maximum velocity cuts down the time his receivers have to adjust to inaccurate placement.
“He does a great job of taking something off, of throwing what I call a firm but soft ball,” Warner said, contrasting McCarthy’s mechanics with Josh Allen’s development curve in Buffalo.
A nearly identical overthrow to receiver Jalen Nailor last season drew a similarly pointed reaction from NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth, who called the miss “a dream” opportunity that got wasted by too much heat on the ball.
McCarthy’s struggles have already drawn plenty of attention this preseason, including a viral clip of frustrated fans groaning through his training camp reps just weeks before this game. His backup competition with Murray has carried real stakes, too.
Price, for his part, has continued building a strong case for a larger role in Minnesota’s offense despite the miss, catching touchdowns from McCarthy in each of the Vikings’ joint practices with Baltimore earlier in the week.
Saturday’s game marked another chance for McCarthy to build momentum in a QB2 competition that remains far from settled heading into the regular season.
