Carson Wentz to start for Vikings; J.J. McCarthy out 2-4 weeks
THE FORMER NDSU BISON STANDOUT IS SET TO MAKE HIS FIRST START FOR MINNESOTA ON SUNDAY.
Carson Wentz (11) practicing for the Minnesota Vikings.
EAGAN, Minn. (KVRR/MINNESOTA VIKINGS) –Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters Monday that QB J.J. McCarthy is dealing with a high ankle sprain and will likely not play Sunday, September 21, when Minnesota hosts Cincinnati.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports McCarthy will likely be out 2-4 weeks. This comes after McCarthy missed all of the 2024 season with a torn meniscus.
Through two weeks, McCarthy had a 1-1 record. In Chicago on Monday Night Football McCarthy led Minnesota to 21 fourth quarter points and a comeback 27-24 win. Against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football McCarthy struggled with three turnovers and a stat line of: 11/22, 158 yards while being sacked six times.
The Vikings signed former NDSU Bison and Bismarck, North Dakota native Carson Wentz on Sunday, August 24 to be the team’s backup quarterback.
“Wentz got starts with the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18 the last two years with starters resting. Sunday with the Vikings will be his first start with a team at full strength since 2022 with the Washington Commanders.” – Mike Garafolo (NFL Network)
Originally the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2016 by Philadelphia, Wentz spent his first five NFL seasons with the Eagles. He started all 68 regular-season games he played there, completing 1,562 of 2,492 passes (62.7%) for 16,811 yards with 113 touchdowns and 50 interceptions for a passer rating of 89.2.
The Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts in March 2021, and he went on to start all 17 games for Indianapolis that season, passing for 3,563 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with just seven interceptions.
Wentz was traded again when Indy sent him to Washington during the 2022 offseason. In his debut for the Commanders, he threw for 313 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in a 28–22 victory over the Jaguars — ironically, the team he lost to in the Colts Week 18 finale.
Wentz landed on Injured Reserve after fracturing a finger on his throwing hand in a Thursday Night Football win. Taylor Heinicke became the Commanders starter during that time, and Wentz did not regain his position after being activated Dec. 12. He was released following the season.
In 2023, Wentz signed with the Rams midseason to serve as Matthew Stafford’s backup.
Wentz was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, but his family moved to North Dakota when he was 3, and he grew up a Vikings fan. He played college football at North Dakota State, where he bided his time before being named the Bison’s full-time starter as a junior in 2014. He went on to help lead NDSU to its fourth and fifth straight FCS Championship.
Wentz set NDSU’s single-season records for passing attempts (358), completions (228), and passing yards (3,111) in 2014. Cam Miller in 2024 topped the completions (258) and passing yards (3,251) marks.
