J.J. McCarthy had the perfect reaction to Vikings’ backup Sam Darnold’s meteoric rise

Sam Darnold wasn’t supposed to be the Minnesota Vikings’ full-time starter in 2024.

Instead, he was supposed to be a pricy insurance policy for a young quarterback. Minnesota acquired a pair of first round draft picks before landing Michigan star J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall selection of last spring’s draft. But when a torn meniscus ended his preseason debut and assured McCarthy would spend his rookie year on injured reserve, Darnold was thrown into the fire.

Turns out, that merely made him one of the NFL’s hottest quarterbacks. Darnold’s four touchdowns through his first two games made him a top five passer amidst a small sample size. But with more snaps against the favored Houston Texans in Week 3, the journeyman continued to sizzle.

So, right after his third touchdown pass of the day, McCarthy took to social media to point out the obvious.

Sam Darnold is good at football

— J.J. McCarthy (@jjmccarthy09) September 22, 2024

McCarthy, a certified ball-knower, proved his status as a student of the game. This was, in fact, a good football play:

.@jalennailor's 3rd TD of the season gives the #Vikings a 21-0 lead.

: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/ZJxnMM5VBM

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 22, 2024