J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, is currently sidelined due to a high right ankle sprain sustained on September 14, 2025. He has missed consecutive practices and will not play in the Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland. His recovery timeline is estimated to be 2 to 4 weeks, with the long end suggesting a possible return by Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings' head coach, Kevin O'Connell, has emphasized the importance of McCarthy being 100% healthy before returning to play to avoid setbacks. Meanwhile, veteran quarterback Carson Wentz has taken over starting duties and has performed well in McCarthy's absence. McCarthy is traveling with the team during their European road trip but is being managed on a day-to-day basis regarding ramping up his workload and practice involvement.
Overall, McCarthy's current situation is that of injury recovery with uncertainty about the exact week he will return, but there is optimism he will be back later in the season once fully healed.
