Minnesota Vikings first-round pick J.J. McCarthy had a chance to showcase his arm this week, but it didn’t go as planned. The Michigan product was invited to throw out the first pitch before the Minnesota Twins hosted the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, and it was clear from his performance that he won’t be switching to baseball anytime soon.
#Vikings rookie QB JJ McCarthy threw out the first pitch at the Twins game. It didn’t go as he planned.
(🎥 @DexsTweets)
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 19, 2024
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This isn’t the first time a first-round quarterback has struggled with a ceremonial pitch. Washington Commanders’ QB Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, also delivered a poor pitch at a Nationals game.
McCarthy, however, wasn’t the only Viking to struggle on the mound. Former Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner, another first-round pick for Minnesota, also had a tough time with his pitch.
#Vikings rookie OLB Dallas Turner also got to throw out a pitch. His didn’t go as planned, either. 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/kpzZnKzzut https://t.co/WinxWTVj3g
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 19, 2024
“Didn’t have time to warm up,” Turner joked on his Instagram Stories, sharing a clip of his pitch.
McCarthy, fresh from a championship run with the Michigan Wolverines, is competing with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold for the starting position after Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this year.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced last week that Darnold would start training camp as QB1 but didn’t specify what that would mean for the regular season.
J.J. McCarthy helped the Michigan Wolverines win the National Championship last season, with his postseason heroics, including an impressive catch in the CFP semifinal against Alabama, boosting his stock after a modest regular season. His performance under Jim Harbaugh’s system convinced the Vikings to take a chance on the developing QB.
It’s important to remember that football and baseball are vastly different sports, so let’s not judge McCarthy too harshly based on one throw.
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