Is Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy going to start against the Philadelphia Eagles? View McCarthy’s injury update for Week 7.
J.J. McCarthy Injury Update
Carson Wentz will start at QB on Sunday. Max Brosmer will serve as the backup and J.J. McCarthy will be the emergency 3rd QB. pic.twitter.com/KcV3LkjGI7
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 17, 2025
The positive news is that McCarthy will be dressed on the sideline against the Eagles. However, McCarthy will not start.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Carson Wentz will start against the Eagles. Max Brosmer will serve as the backup, and McCarthy will be the emergency third quarterback.
“I thought [Carson] had a good week of practice, as well as J.J.,” O’Connell said via the Vikings’ X account. “I was really proud of the work [J.J.] put in, as he kind of continues to push through the later stages of this rehab. Feel good about him being available, but he will be the emergency third quarterback. We went into the last game with two [quarterbacks] and didn’t quite feel like that was the smartest thing to do — and feel good about where he’d be at if he had to play in that third quarterback capacity. So Max [Brosmer] will back up Carson Wentz.”
After missing the entire 2024 campaign with a knee injury, McCarthy entered the 2025 season as the Vikings’ starter.
In his first career start, McCarthy engineered a fourth-quarter comeback — two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown — to give the Vikings a 27-24 victory over the Chicago Bears.
In Week 2, McCarthy struggled in a 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. McCarthy finished 11 of 21 for 158 yards and two interceptions. McCarthy suffered a sprained ankle in the game and has not played since the Week 2 loss.
Vikings Turn to Carson Wentz In Week 7
Bringing the thunder on Sunday pic.twitter.com/pO6wJWWeWh
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 17, 2025
With McCarthy on the bench, the Vikings will turn to Wentz for the fourth straight game.
Wentz, who has been with the team for less than 60 days, has filled in admirably for McCarthy. Wentz has a 2-1 record as the starter this season.
The Vikings are averaging 357.7 total yards per game with Wentz under center.
Wentz has thrown for 759 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions with a 69.0 completion percentage in three games.
Wentz is one of six quarterbacks this season to throw for more than 350 passing yards and two touchdowns in a game.
Now, Wentz gets to face the Philadelphia Eagles, the team that drafted him with the No. 2 pick in 2016.
The Vikings are a 2.5-point underdog as of Friday. The Eagles enter Minnesota on a two-game losing streak, including an embarrassing 34-17 defeat to the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football.
The Vikings (3-2) host the Eagles (4-2) at 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 19.
