EAGAN, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson said Thursday he would "love to have" J.J. McCarthy back as the team's quarterback next season, despite a rocky season that has yielded the least productive season of Jefferson's career and left the team out of the playoffs.
"That's not my job," Jefferson said, referencing player personnel decisions. "[But] of course I would love for him to be here. Of course I would love for him to be the quarterback. Especially off this year. I feel like he needs to show everybody and prove to everybody that he is that top-tier quarterback. So I would love to have him. I would love to work with him and show everybody that he is that No. 1 guy."
Jefferson added that he wants to work with McCarthy this offseason to eliminate "those habits that he had that we felt hindered him throughout the season, just working on those little itty bitty pits of his game."
Jefferson needs 53 receiving yards Sunday against the Green Bay Packers to reach 1,000 for the season, despite starting all 16 of the Vikings' games this season and playing 95% of their offensive snaps. He has never finished a season below 1,000 receiving yards, even when he missed seven games in 2023 because of a hamstring injury. But Jefferson has finished with less than 50 receiving yards in seven of the Vikings' past nine games, all started by either McCarthy or rookie Max Brosmer, and his only 100-yard games of 2025 came in Weeks 4 and 5 with veteran backup Carson Wentz.
"I had to learn myself how to be patient how to not really show my emotions, to lead as a captain of this team," Jefferson said. "And there are definitely things I can take from this year going forward. But I would say going forward, requiring more for everybody. Having this type of season, we ain't trying to have this type of season again."
McCarthy participated fully in practice Thursday, a good sign that he is on track to start Sunday after missing the Vikings' 23-10 victory in Week 17 over the Detroit Lions because of a hairline fracture in his right hand.
