Nelson Thielen

Do you all remember the feeling of J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 preseason debut as vividly as I do? So much excitement. So much anticipation. And immediately some throws that popped off the screen and gave even me, a J.J. McCarthy skeptic that draft cycle, an immediate injection of hope. I remember texting a friend and saying, “Oh buddy, we might have something here!” I’m not gonna pretend that McCarthy immediately looked like Dan Marino reincarnate or something.

Fiscal responsibility has never been a skill that comes naturally to me. Despite constant financial pressure on the back of our necks for most of our marriage, my wife often has to get on me about too many trips to the fast-food drive-thru or my brand loyalty to generics at the grocery store. Actually keeping to a budget requires a level of discipline that I lack. The Minnesota Vikings’ front office hasn’t been very responsible with their finances over the past few years, either.

Competition. Iron sharpens iron. In the offseason, all your favorite coaching clichés are on the table, particularly when it comes to roster construction and position battles. Never has that been more evident than in the quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. Coaches will do anything to avoid overplaying their hand this time of year about jobs up for grabs, for reasons ranging from competitive advantage over unsuspecting opponents to managing motivation levels.