Corum’s optimism might be waved off by some, but it’s based on seeing McCarthy excel up close in Ann Arbor.
Although Michigan was arguably the No. 1 team thanks in large part to Corum’s contributions, McCarthy led the Wolverines in rushing, completing 72.3 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The Vikings also saw enough in McCarthy to invest heavily in him. Unfortunately, Corum and Minnesota’s faith in McCarthy hasn’t paid off on the field thus far.
With McCarthy sidelined by injury in 2024, Sam Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-win season. Minnesota didn’t keep Darnold the following offseason, instead pushing its chips down the middle of the board on McCarthy, after which Darnold won Super Bowl LX with the Seattle Seahawks and the Vikings missed the playoffs.
McCarthy made 10 starts in 2025, missed time at various points during the season with a severe ankle sprain, concussion and a hairline fracture in his right hand, and he wasn’t transformative at all under center. He threw for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a paltry 57.6 completion percentage.
The struggles led to the Vikings signing Kyler Murray in free agency. They also brought back Carson Wentz, who started five games for the team last season. In doing so, they’ve secured multiple avenues for quality QB play this coming campaign, a necessity for a team with a brutal defense and surrounding offensive pieces ready to compete now.
What will come of the depth chart remains to be seen, but McCarthy is still only 23. He barely has double-digit games in his career, and he showed flashes in 2025 — like a Week 1 comeback against the Chicago Bears or leading Minnesota to four wins in his last four starts.
His former Vikings teammate, Darnold, showed how long it can take to develop into the QB they’re meant to be, and his former college teammate Corum thinks it’s beyond McCarthy to do the same.
First, though, McCarthy has to find a way onto the field amid a crowded backfield.