Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Sports

New Destination for J.J. McCarthy Enters Vikings Rumor Mill

Published

on

Advertisement

J.J. McCarthy warms up on the field before a Vikings game against the Bears at Soldier Field.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy goes through pregame warmups, working through throws and movement drills as he prepares for a divisional test on the road. Sep 8, 2025 captured the scene at Soldier Field in Chicago, where McCarthy readied himself for the rivalry atmosphere against the Bears. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images.

Some don’t believe the Minnesota Vikings can keep Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy in the same quarterback room — it’s unclear why that’s not possible — which has created a handful of McCarthy trade rumors. One such example lands McCarthy with the Pittsburgh Steelers via trade, according to NFL writer Sayre Bedinger.

The latest McCarthy rumor says more about offseason rumors than Minnesota’s real plans.

McCarthy probably won’t start for the 2026 Vikings, and that’s code for a trade fate per some theorists.

Advertisement

A Steelers Theory Circles around McCarthy

Maybe McCarthy can just take over for Aaron Rodgers, they say.

Pittsburgh Steelers helmet rests on the field before a game. J.J. McCarthy Vikings
A Pittsburgh Steelers helmet sits ready on the field before kickoff ahead of a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The close-up captures the franchise’s iconic branding and game-day atmosphere as players prepare nearby for a divisional contest. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images.

Bedinger: Steelers Are a Trade Fit for McCarthy

Although the Vikings have expressed no plans to trade McCarthy, Bedinger sized up landing spots this week, with the Steelers, New York Jets, and Los Angeles Rams getting the nod.

He wrote about McCarthy to Pittsburgh, “The long-term outlook at the quarterback position for the Pittsburgh Steelers is extremely unclear. Aaron Rodgers is probably going to come back for the 2026 season, but after this year, who knows what the Steelers are going to do? They’ll be at the mercy of wherever they fall in the draft, or stuck in the purgatory that is cycling through veteran retreads.”

Advertisement

“There is no long-term vision right now, which is why taking a shot on McCarthy’s upside and getting him in the building with Mike McCarthy could make a lot of sense. He’d be able to spend a year learning from Aaron Rodgers, getting acclimated to the offense, and really giving the Steelers a reason to not be desperate in next year’s draft. It also keeps them flexible there.”

It’s unclear what kind of trade package McCarthy would fetch, but a safe bet might be around a 4th-Rounder.

Vikings in No Hurry to Trade McCarthy

While McCarthy trade theories are understandable with Murray’s arrival, assuming the Vikings will ship him elsewhere is really just a surface-level take. That is — an outsider sees Murray in the mix and thinks, “Oh, that means McCarthy will be traded, huh?”

Advertisement

Minnesota’s brass has spoken positively all offseason, and the club owns his contractual rights for the next three seasons. McCarthy is also just 23 years old.

Too, Murray has some injury concerns, missing about one-quarter of all starts since turning pro seven years ago. There’s a world where Murray gets hurt in 2026, McCarthy takes over the offense as the QB2, and never relinquishes his job because he has matured and improved in the backdrop.

Working with Another McCarthy

Could McCarthy in Pittsburgh work? Absolutely. The Steelers parted ways with Mike Tomlin three months ago, and they picked a rather shocking replacement in Mike McCarthy. The Bedinger proposal would mesh McCarthy with McCarthy.

Advertisement
J.J. McCarthy talks to media before the national championship game. J.J. McCarthy Vikings
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy speaks with reporters during media availability on Jan. 6, 2024, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. The session comes ahead of the College Football Playoff national championship, with McCarthy addressing expectations and preparation for the high-stakes showdown. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports.

Whether it’s accidental or a correlation, McCarthy (the coach) always has a good quarterback under center, whether that’s Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, or Dak Prescott. He personally helped to develop Rodgers, and that man will be a Hall of Famer in the next 10 years.

There are worse places to land for a quarterback’s development than Mike McCarthy’s tutelage, even if he isn’t the most inspiring head coach in the NFL.

Underwhelming Weaponry

In Pittsburgh, McCarthy would enjoy a mid-tier — that’s optimistic phrasing — stable of playmakers. The group would look like this:

A quarterback like Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes could cook with that unit, but it’s not exactly deadly. Therefore, McCarthy might have to hope that Pittsburgh fostered one of its legendary defenses to succeed.

Advertisement
Mike McCarthy stands with Steelers executives at his introductory press conference. J.J. McCarthy Vikings
Steelers leadership introduces Mike McCarthy as head coach during a press conference featuring Art Rooney II, Daniel Martin Rooney, and Omar Khan on Jan. 27, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The event marks a new era for the franchise, with executives outlining direction and expectations. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

Bedinger also noted on the Jets as a landing spot for McCarthy, “Geno Smith is going to be the Jets’ starter this year, but they don’t have any long-term prospects at the position. And nobody is certain they’re going to get one in the 2026 NFL Draft. McCarthy has just two years left on his rookie contract, but that’s enough time for the Jets to get him in their system this year, possibly get him some starts, and maybe even give him a chance to compete for the QB1 gig as early as 2027.”

“The Jets should be one of the most open-minded teams at QB in the NFL right now, and it just so happens that general managerDarren Mougey did a ton of scouting with that 2024 quarterback class while he was with the Denver Broncos’ front office. They did a lot of work on McCarthy that offseason, so he’ll have a great report on him.”

McCarthy ranked dead last in almost all major quarterback efficiency metrics last year, though he played quite well in December and January.


avatar

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

5 Reasons why Gunther defeated Seth Rollins at WWE WrestleMania 42

Published

on

One of the matches that actually delivered on the first night at WWE WrestleMania was Gunther vs Seth Rollins. The Ring General and The Visionary delivered a banger show and impressed everyone in the crowd.

However, the match concluded when Bron Breakker returned to WWE and destroyed Seth Rollins. This attack allowed the Career Ki**er to defeat the Architect and secure the victory.

Following the match, the new Big Dog continues his domination and spears the former Vision leader again. Meanwhile, in this article, we will be looking at five reasons why The Ring General defeated Rollins at Showcase of Immortals Night 1.


#5. To continue Gunther’s undefeated streak

Advertisement

Over the past few months, Gunther continued his domination in the squared circle. In the last few months, the former Imperium Leader retired Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles.

Not only this, but he also has an impressive winning streak in the squared circle in singles matches. The last time Gunther suffered a loss in a singles match was at SummerSlam 2025, where CM Punk defeated him to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Since then, The Ring General has defeated everyone in his match in singles bouts. So, it seems WWE wants to keep Gunther’s undefeated streak going. As a result, he defeated The Visionary at ‘Mania on Saturday.


#4. To set up a WWE rematch down the road

Gunther defeating Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 42 opens the door for a potential rematch in the near future. If The Visionary had defeated the Career Ki**er at ‘Mania, it would have concluded their rivalry as Rollins stopped his threat amid a feud with the Vision faction.

Advertisement

However, this doesn’t happen, and the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion put The Architect in a sleeper hold after Bron Breakker’s interruption. Now, WWE can use this angle to set the stage for a rematch between them later this year.

If the Ring General mocks Rollins for beating him at Mania 42, Seth will indeed seek revenge for this loss, setting the stage for another bout. The chances are likely if Seth manages to win the world title later this year.


#3. Paul Heyman now owes Gunther a favor

If Seth Rollins had defeated Gunther at the Grandest Stage of Them All, it might have created a hindrance for the Ring General to redeem his favor from Paul Heyman. After saving the Oracle on Monday Night RAW, the former Imperium Leader confirmed that Heyman owed him a favor.

After defeating the Visionary at Shows of the Shows, Gunther can firmly claim his favor from the Advocate anytime he wants. Many predicted it might lead to a Gunther vs. Brock Lesnar dream showdown, considering that the Hall of Famer is still working with the Beast Incarnate.

Advertisement

So, this appears to be another major reason behind the loss of Seth Rollins at Mania 42.


#2. To heat things between Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker

One of the primary reasons why Gunther defeated Seth Rollins at Showcase of Immortals was Bron Breakker. The WWE comeback of Bron and his attack on the Visionary gave the Ring General a major advantage to put the ex-Vision leader into a sleeper hold.

So, to heat things between Breakker and Rollins could be another potential reason why the Career Ki**er defeated Seth on Mania Saturday. Now, in the aftermath edition of Monday Night RAW, Rollins will indeed call Breakker out and punish him for his actions.

This will lead to the much-anticipated match between Seth and Bron in the Stamford-based promotion.

Advertisement

#1. It doesn’t hurt Seth Rollins’ momentum post-Mania

BRON BREAKKER SPEARS SETH ROLLINS AGAIN!!! #WrestleMania OH MY 😱

It’s crucial to note that Gunther indeed secured victory at WrestleMania 42. However, this only happened when the Visionary passed out from the sleeper hold. The Ring General failed to secure a pinfall victory over the Architect.

Even the Visionary never tapped out from Gunther’s submission. The match ended when the referee checked Rollins, and he faded out from that choke. Also, the former World Heavyweight Champion only managed to put this submission move tight on the beloved WWE star after Bron Breakker’s disruption.

Overall, this doesn’t hurt the Architect’s momentum post-WrestleMania 42, and it’s another reason WWE booked Gunther to defeat Seth at the Shows of the Shows.

Advertisement

Despite this loss, Rollins will still appear strong in his forthcoming feud against Bron Breakker. Meanwhile, if Seth had defeated the Ring General, it would have not only ended his undefeated streak but also impacted his momentum post-WrestleMania.

So, these are all the potential reasons why Gunther defeated Seth Rollins at WWE WrestleMania 42 on Saturday. The RAW after Mania show will be interesting to witness, particularly after Bron Breakker returns to the Sports Entertainment juggernaut.

Also, it remains to be seen what’s next for the WWE Career Ki**er after his massive victory over the Visionary.