Justin Jefferson Speaks Out About Vikings QB’s Struggles

The Minnesota Vikings had high expectations heading into this year on the heels of a 14-3 campaign last year, but things have crashed and burned as they head into a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, nursing a 4-7 record and mired in a three-game losing streak.

Much of the team’s struggles fall on the shoulders of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who took over as the starter after the team let Sam Darnold sign with Seattle in free agency and has struggled mightily in his first year under center. McCarthy has 10 interceptions in six starts and is raising a lot of question marks with his play, and his teammates are now having to go to bat for him.

Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has seen his numbers take a major hit due to McCarthy’s performance, and ESPN’s Kevin Seifert shared some insight from Jefferson in a recent article he wrote. Jefferson was asked about McCarthy’s struggles, and he voiced his full support for his young QB.

“It’s early,” Jefferson said of McCarthy. “He’s new to the game. He’s new to the NFL. He’s learning just like everyone else has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously had to go through the mental stage of having to overcome an injury the first year. So just a tough transition for him. But I feel like just him learning these past couple games, and of course learning [during] the stretch of this season, I feel like he’s going to bounce back in a different way than everybody else is going to think so.”

Running back Aaron Jones spoke glowingly about McCarthy as well, and it’s clear both he and Jefferson haven’t lost faith in him at all. As rough as his season has been, it’s still not easy to judge a quarterback after six starts.

We have seen time and time again how some teams give up on quarterbacks too early, and those same quarterbacks move on to have strong careers in different organizations. Darnold is a perfect example of that, as he struggled mightily with the New York Jets for years to begin his career before blossoming in Minnesota last season.

McCarthy is just 22 and has plenty of room to grow, but the early returns have been rough. Vikings fans certainly don’t stand to derive too much solace from any silver linings or a glass-half-full mindset, as a 4-7 record is tough to stomach on the heels of a 14-win campaign.

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