Nov 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts on the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Even with an international trip to Dublin, Ireland, this week, the Minnesota Vikings’ rumor mill remains loud. Here’s the latest batch for late September.
The Vikings’ rumor mill is in full force, per usual, and these are Saturday’s items for the purple rumor mill.
Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite to win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but first, here’s a gander at the purple rumor mill.
Vikings Rumors | September 27th, 2025
The main rumors in Minnesota’s orbit.
Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) delivers a throw during the first half of a September 14, 2025, contest against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The young passer continued to gain valuable early-season experience under head coach Kevin O’Connell, showing flashes of poise in the pocket while leading Minnesota’s offense in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Rumor: The Steelers would rather face J.J. McCarthy than Carson Wentz.
From Mike Tomlin’s lips, the Steelers skipper implied through an analogy that he’d rather see McCarthy on the field this weekend than Carson Wentz.
Tomlin told the media: “I don’t necessarily view it as a negative thing for the Minnesota Vikings, at least in the short-term, that Carson is playing for them.”
“We were in a similar situation a year ago, we were playing in Indianapolis, and I commented to the guys, keep Richardson upright, don’t put Flacco in the game. And Flacco ended up in the game.”
McCarthy has been ruled out of Sunday’s game in Ireland with a high ankle sprain.
Tomlin also mentioned Wentz, “He’s a grizzly veteran. Often times, particularly when you have a young, inexperienced quarterback, there’s some big-time benefits of playing with a vet backup.
“The veteran guy oftentimes does the intangible components of the job very well. They oftentimes are able to carry more schematic responsibility and so forth at the line of scrimmage.”
The league doesn’t quite fear McCarthy yet.
Rumor: Former Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones is a legitimate MVP candidate.
Out in Indianapolis, Jones has helped the Colts generate a 3-0 record, while posting 816 passing yards, 6 total touchdowns, and no interceptions or fumbles.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) heads off the field following a September 21, 2025, matchup with the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The veteran signal-caller, who arrived in Indianapolis after several seasons with the New York Giants, wrapped up the road contest as the Colts sought to evaluate their offensive direction moving forward. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
This is the pecking order entering Week 4 in the NFL for MVP probability:
Sam Darnold: +8000
Josh Allen: +220
Lamar Jackson: +320
Justin Herbert: +500
Jordan Love: +1400
Baker Mayfield: +1600
Jayden Daniels: +1600
Matthew Stafford: +2000
Jalen Hurts: +2200
Patrick Mahomes: +2500
Jared Goff: +3000
Daniel Jones: +4000
Caleb Williams: +6000
Brock Purdy: +6000
Aaron Rodgers: +6500
The man has balled out to start the season, and now his next step is all about sustainability. He’ll leapfrog the list above in no time if he continues the sweet touchdown pace with minimal turnovers. It will also help if Indianapolis continues to win.
Rumor: J.J. McCarthy is an F-graded player so far in his career.
CBS Sports decided to grade all quarterbacks on rookie contracts this week, which included McCarthy, who is living on Year No. 2 of his deal. In Mike Renner’s grading and rating system, McCarthy pulled down an ‘F’ — the worst in Renner’s grades altogether and the lowest mark any player could receive.
Renner defended the mark, “There’s very little sugarcoating it: J.J. McCarthy didn’t look ready for the bright lights in his first two starts. Among starting quarterbacks, McCarthy has the lowest EPA/play, second-worst turnover-worthy play rate and third-worst completion percentage over expectation.”
“Outside of a couple throws down the stretch in the Vikings’ comeback win over the Bears, there’s been very little for McCarthy to hang his hat on. Unlike everyone else on this list, though, those were McCarthy’s first two career starts, and it can only get better from here. Grade F.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) scrambles for positive yardage during first-quarter play against the Houston Texans on August 9, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The rookie used his athleticism to extend the drive, drawing energy from fans eager to see his dual-threat potential showcased during preseason action as the team assessed its quarterback depth chart. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
McCarthy will need many decent games sometime this season, ideally in a row, to change the narrative regarding his performance. Strangely, the memory of his 4th Quarter comeback in Week 1 has been totally omitted in some fans’ minds, shifting to a firm “What have you done for me lately?” slogan.
Moreover, the Vikings employ a Super Bowl-caliber roster in the eyes of most onlookers, and to squander that talent with a quarterback who is an ‘F’ performer just won’t fly.
Some have even suggested that the Vikings should roll with Carson Wentz instead of McCarthy, although it seems unlikely that the coaching staff will agree, given their emphasis on quarterback development and patience over the last year and change.
Indeed, much of the world believes McCarthy is an ‘F’ draft pick through his first two games. Here’s to hoping that the next 100 games change the dialogue.
