Getty Quarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings. The Minnesota Vikings will be doing J.J. McCarthy both a huge solid and potentially a catastrophic disservice by throwing him into the fire as the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1. McCarthy is 22 years old. He missed his rookie season with a serious knee injury. He then watched from the sidelines as Sam Darnold , the former No. 3 overall pick long thought to be a bust himself after failing with the New York Jets and Carolina