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Sports

NFL QB hot seat: Is Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy back in? Is Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa out? 6 starters are at a crossroads.

Details
20 October 2025

Nearly five weeks ago, when J.J. McCarthy had played one good quarter of football and seven horrendous ones, Carson Wentz had a chance.

He has a good arm. He has the size and frame. And in 2023 and 2024, he had two years of quiet backup duty behind the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford and Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes to heal his quarterback image. 

Now it was suddenly mid-September and Wentz was being plugged into effectively the same Minnesota Vikings offense that resurrected the career of Sam Darnold one year earlier. So of course, it was hard not to project the possibilities of where it could go. After all …

Wentz did have a short stint in his career with the Philadelphia Eagles where he played at a near-MVP level.

And there have been highly drafted quarterbacks whom we wrote off too early.

Maybe, some thought, Wentz could take McCarthy’s starting job and run with it.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 14: J.J. McCarthy #9 and Carson Wentz #11 of the Minnesota Vikings look on from the sideline against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
J.J. McCarthy (9) shares a sideline moment with Carson Wentz during a Week 2 defeat against Atlanta. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Stephen Maturen via Getty Images

Then Wentz played. And he played like Carson Wentz has most often as a starter — with some very inviting highs, balanced against far too many Mariana Trench lows. Some of them came last weekend against his former Eagles franchise, when Wentz threw a pair of costly interceptions that were very arguably the difference in Minnesota’s 28-22 loss. That has always been the thing with Wentz. He is what he is. You can win some games with him. Your offense can score. But eventually, the odds kick in and he forces the mistakes that have always undercut him and the teams that have trotted him out consistently as a starter.

This is why McCarthy’s job with the Vikings is safe. It’s also why the second-year quarterback is still undeniably on the hot seat. Because now the Vikings have seen what Wentz is. They’ve ridden the roller coaster and know he's not the answer to making the most of this season. And that means there’s only one other avenue to getting this right in 2025.

It’s going to be McCarthy or bust — and all the pressure that comes with it. Of all the quarterbacks in the league on the hot seat, McCarthy might have the hottest. Not because Wentz is a threat to take over this Minnesota franchise down the stretch, but because McCarthy is on a roster built to be in a Super Bowl window right now. He needs to develop fast. Not only that, he doesn’t have the paycheck to force a 2026 commitment from the coaching staff and front office. That means he can get the Anthony Richardson treatment as soon as next season, and find himself fighting for his job with a capable veteran who can turn the key on this offense right now.

[Get more Vikings news: Minnesota team feed]

Just like he was as a rookie with Sam Darnold, before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024. The same Darnold who is once again playing his way into an MVP conversation this season with an entirely new cast of players around him with the Seattle Seahawks.

That’s the interesting dynamic about McCarthy. Unlike some other quarterbacks who find themselves on the hot seat, he is neither highly-paid nor sitting in the middle of a total rebuild. Instead, he’s highly drafted and surrounded by a team that is currently one quarterback away — and maybe some offensive line health — from competing for a Super Bowl.

Through eight quarters, the results have not been encouraging. That said, we have some perspective we didn’t a month ago. The Atlanta Falcons' defense that beat the brakes off McCarthy back in September? It turns out the Falcons are far better than we thought at the time, especially the passing defense and the pressure up front. Even the Chicago Bears' defense that made McCarthy look like a mess for three quarters has more to offer than it appeared in September.

What this means for McCarthy remains to be seen. Without a doubt, there’s ample suspicion around the league that the Vikings' coaching staff has strung out his ankle sprain, waiting to see if Wentz reverted to his historically problematic decision-making traits. Now it has happened, and everything about what the Vikings are going to be has shifted back onto McCarthy’s shoulders.

The only difference now: There’s nowhere else to go at quarterback, except where McCarthy takes the Vikings. And with this roster ready to win now, the outcome will likely shape what happens with Minnesota’s QB depth chart in 2026, too.

Here are the other five quarterbacks on the hot seat entering Week 8:

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is keeping Tagovailoa the starter for Week 8, despite benching him in an alarmingly bad loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday when the QB threw three interceptions for the second straight game. The one thing Tagovailoa has going for him is that he’s still the best option in a quarterback room that includes seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and journeyman Zach Wilson. He’s also getting paid handsomely, with the first year of his four-year, $212.4 million extension kicking in this season. That investment, and McDaniel hoping to salvage whatever he can this season to potentially save his job, will keep Tagovailoa on the front burner unless he totally implodes. Even if that doesn’t happen, the downward slope of his decision making and production is going to raise questions about negotiating an exit from Tagovailoa’s deal one season before it’s really viable. 

Talking to a league source who used to work for the Dolphins and team owner Stephen Ross, they advanced what they believe is a more likely outcome if Tagovailoa’s play continues to plummet and the Dolphins bottom out with a top five draft pick this year. The source framed it like this: With Ross knowing he’s already on the hook for significant money with Tagovailoa, the likelier scenario to unfold would be something along the lines of how the Denver Broncos handled Russell Wilson after he fell apart in the first year of his extension. They fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett, then went out and got Sean Payton with two paths in mind: Either Payton could get Wilson back on track, or he was going to be allowed to pull the plug in the following offseason and pursue the QB of his choosing. 

Payton did exactly that, dumping Wilson after one season and drafting Bo Nix. In that same vein, Miami would fire McDaniel and possibly general manager Chris Grier next offseason, then court a coach/GM tandem that would have be tasked with trying to turn Tagovailoa in the right direction in 2026, but then have the option of cutting ties after 2026 if it isn’t working. And in the meantime, the top-five pick could be used to trade back and accrue more capital for a rebuild with young cheap contracts (helping to shoulder the $34.8 million in dead money from cutting Tagovailoa after the 2026 season), or it could be used to bolster the offensive line in an effort to help Tagovailoa or whoever replaces him.

Justin Fields, New York Jets

With the Jets falling to 0-7 and Fields coming off his worst six quarters of football since arriving in New York, we’ve reached the opaque stage where head coach Aaron Glenn declined to name a starter for this week’s game in Cincinnati. That’s a sizable change from Glenn’s previous posture, which had been to stand firmly behind his 26-year-old quarterback. 

The culprit is some of the same problems that have plagued Fields for much of his career, as he’s once again holding the ball too long in the pocket and struggling with the awareness of pressure. The complication for the Jets is that it’s not as if backup Tyrod Taylor fared any better against the Carolina Panthers when he took over at halftime on Sunday, throwing two interceptions and generally looking as bad as Fields.

Regardless of whether Taylor takes over the job, this one is really about the bigger picture. If the Jets land the No. 1 pick in the draft — and if Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza continue their current trajectory — there’s going to be an opportunity to take a quarterback with the first pick. If the results through seven weeks are what Fields represents, he’s not going to be the Jets' starter — or any starter. 

What happens with him in the event he’s demoted? With a $23 million cap hit after this season if the Jets cut him, there’s a rationale that he could either be New York’s backup in 2026, or New York could just eat the hit and split the damage over two seasons by designating him as a post-June 1 release. Regardless of how that is handled, it’s clear that Fields is currently playing himself out of his starting job.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals haven’t given any indication they’re going to bench Murray at this stage, but it can’t be overlooked that their offense played functional and competitive football the past two weeks under the stewardship of Jacoby Brissett. That’s still not going to be enough to unseat Murray, who will likely step back into his starting role after Arizona’s Week 8 bye. 

When healthy, Murray still has more talent than most quarterbacks in the league. But the scope of his physical limitations have materialized at this point, largely through consistent injuries both big and small. That makes the remainder of this season a referendum of sorts for him. Head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort were expecting to take another step in their ground-up culture build this season, with the goal being a playoff bid. Now they sit at 2-5 heading into their bye, knowing the final 10 games are going to be critical to their futures — and the future of Murray.

I spent time with the brain trust in training camp and we talked about Murray. I believe that if he can’t put it together and lead the Cardinals to the playoffs in the final 10 games, all options will be on the table when it comes to the quarterback spot. That includes entertaining a trade of Murray (if a partner can be found) or releasing him as a post-June 1 move and splitting $56.4 million in dead cap. Of course, that would depend on Gannon and Ossenfort still being in place after this season and also having a quarterback plan to replace Murray. If he struggles down the stretch, gets injured again or necessitates a switch to Brissett for any reason, I think it would be more likely that Murray will be gone in the next offseason rather than retained. 

Three years of trying to make it work with a quarterback who was inherited is a very honest attempt. It also earns Gannon and Ossenfort the right to try something different in 2026, so long as ownership is still standing behind the pair.

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders' offense was an abomination in the 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, with stats that are hard to believe. Las Vegas gained only three first downs to the Chiefs’ 30. In total, the Raiders ran only 30 offensive plays that accounted for 95 yards. Eventually, Smith was replaced by backup Kenny Pickett, and later called the loss a moment of “soul searching.” That seems accurate — but only because the measuring appears to be done. 

The Raiders are in a different galaxy when it comes to the best teams in the NFL. The no-show loss to the Chiefs proved that, if the 40-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5 already hadn’t. On Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll seemed to point at injuries on offense creating the problems. And in fairness, Las Vegas has been playing without its most dynamic offensive player in tight end Brock Bowers, as well as left tackle Kolton Miller and wideout Jakobi Meyers.

Interestingly, Carroll didn’t really put anything on Smith after the Chiefs loss, conjuring a picture of a team that was just completely overwhelmed, undermanned and incapable of having any chance due to the limited number of snaps on offense. The reality remains that Smith has rarely played great football since the season started. If that’s how the remainder of the season unfolds, it’s going to send Las Vegas back to the drawing board and surely in consideration of adding a player to the quarterback room who can compete for the starting job in 2026. Most likely in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Think of this one along the lines of the New York Giants starting the season with Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart. The Raiders already owe Smith $26.5 million in guaranteed money next year, so it’s likely he’s going to be on the roster. The question is whether he plays poorly enough in the remainder of the season to push Las Vegas to draft his replacement and then hope the rookie shows enough to take the job in a fashion similar to Dart bumping Wilson out of the starting spot in New York.

Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Aside from his four turnovers in Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, Rattler hasn’t been an abject failure as a starter this season. In fact, there’s a strong case he’s shown growth from one season to the next and in some cases, one start to the next. But there is an element of practicality coming into play here. The Saints are 1-6 and have an upcoming schedule (at home vs. the Tampa By Buccaneers and on the road against the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers) that could sink them to 1-9 by their Week 11 bye.

They also sunk the 40th pick in the draft into rookie QB Tyler Shough. Unless Rattler turns some kind of defining corner quickly, New Orleans is going to need to figure out what it has in the quarterback room between Rattler and Shough. And the only way to do that is by getting Shough some opportunities. It’s as simple as that, especially with the Saints in the running for a top-five draft pick that could be positioned to select a better quarterback than what they already have.

Read more …

Lions look like a contender as offense and defense make plays in win over Buccaneers

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20 October 2025
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) celebrates his touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) celebrates his touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

We heard the names Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn often when the Detroit Lions' predicted drop was discussed. We didn't hear the names John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard enough in explaining why the Lions might not actually fall off. 

Maybe Dan Campbell's name should have been brought up more often too. 

The Lions might not be the exact team they were last season, but it's tough to repeat a 15-2 record. What is clear is that the loss of offensive and defensive coordinators might have been overrated. Morton has stepped in for Johnson and Sheppard replaced Glenn and the Lions are still capable of special things on each side of the ball. 

The Lions made some mistakes that kept them from entirely blowing out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, but it was still an easy 24-9 win over a team that was 5-1 coming in. Morton's offense got plenty of explosive plays — many of which from Jahmyr Gibbs, who had 136 yards rushing and another 82 receiving — and Sheppard's defense, dealing with injuries and a suspension to safety Brian Branch, was excellent. They cooled off Baker Mayfield, harassing him all night. 

The Lions are still one of the NFL's best teams, and their coaching staff is a big reason for it. 

Lions take an early lead

The Lions offense has been fantastic most of the season, and it started hot on Monday night. Detroit had a six-play, 69-yard drive that ended with Goff finding Amon-Ra St. Brown open across the middle for a 27-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle for a TD!

TBvsDET on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/zLjdfM8zRT

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2025

The problem was the Lions weren't finishing drives. Goff lost a fumble in Buccaneers territory. On a fourth-and-2 at the Tampa Bay 15-yard line the Lions went for it, as they like to do. Goff threw incomplete and Detroit turned it over on downs. They had 165 yards in the first quarter and only one score to show for it. 

Detroit's defense did a great job limiting the Buccaneers and then the Lions hit another big play. Gibbs, one of the most explosive backs in the NFL, broke through the line and found himself in the open field. Antoine Winfield Jr. is one of the best safeties in the NFL but he won't win a race with Gibbs. Gibbs blew past him for a 78-yard touchdown. 

SONIC GOES 78 YARDS 🔥

TBvsDET on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/rtQ4gbTZW7

— NFL (@NFL) October 21, 2025

The Buccaneers had a rough night. In the first half they didn't run a play that started in Lions territory until 14 seconds left in the first half. Even worse, they lost Mike Evans to a concussion and a shoulder injury suffered on the same play as he crashed hard into the turf on a deep pass, with Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin landing on him. They had no offense and allowed 275 yards to the Lions. 

Detroit kept making mistakes. In the final two minutes of the half a missed field goal cost the Lions points. Then after a Lions interception, when cornerback Arthur Maulet ripped the ball from Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton, Goff threw an interception right to Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean. Tampa Bay turned that into a 53-yard field goal to end the half. 

The Buccaneers trailed just 14-3 at halftime. Given all that went wrong and how badly they were outplayed, it could have been a lot worse. 

Buccaneers score right after halftime

The Buccaneers did little in the first half but started the second half in spectacular fashion. After going for it on fourth down and making it, Tez Johnson had a fantastic touchdown catch on a screen that included him hurdling a defender on his way to the end zone. The Buccaneers didn't get the 2-point conversion but trailed just 14-9 after playing a horrific first half. 

Tez Johnson scores on the screen pass!

TBvsDET on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/fLNxdLnDPm

— NFL (@NFL) October 21, 2025

The Lions were able to separate after that. Gibbs had a long run to set up his second touchdown. Gibbs broke through three tackle attempts on a fourth-and-1 run at midfield for a crucial first down. The defense did its job after that, stopping Cade Otton inches short of the first down on a fourth down in Buccaneers territory. 

The Buccaneers never looked comfortable on Monday night. That was due to the Lions, who weren't perfect but played well enough that they were never in real danger of losing. The Lions are very unlikely to go 15-2 again, but without many reliable teams this season, they're as good of a pick to make the Super Bowl as anyone else. 

Read more …

Monday Night Football: Lions dominate first half, lead only 14-3 at halftime

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20 October 2025

The Lions dominated the first half, outgaining the Buccaneers 275 to 58, but their miscues have kept Tampa Bay in the game and their hopes of another comeback alive.

Detroit leads only 14-3 at halftime.

The Lions bypassed a field-goal try at the Tampa Bay 15 on fourth down, and Jared Goff's pass fell incomplete. Jake Bates missed a 54-yard field goal wide left, leaving him 1-for-4 from 50-plus yards this season. Goff has taken three sacks and has two turnovers.

He lost a fumble on the Lions' second drive, but his interception before halftime was costly. Jamel Dean picked him at the Tampa Bay 30 and returned it 13 yards, which ended up being at least a 6-point swing.

The Bucs, who didn't cross midfield in their first seven possessions, went 22 yards in three plays to set up Chase McLaughlin's 53-yard field goal on the final play.

The Lions defense, which is missing cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and Avonte Maddox (hamstring) and safeties Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (suspension), has forced two turnovers. Cornerback Amik Robertson punched the ball out of Sterling Shepard's hands, and Aidan Hutchinson recovered, and Arthur Maulet stole a Baker Mayfield pass from Cade Otton.

Goff is 13-of-19 for 183 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jahmyr has 11 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 54 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown has five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Mayfield is 9-of-16 for 47 yards and a pick.

Both teams were 1-for-6 on third down.

Read more …

More Articles …

  1. Week 7 Recap: Are the Chiefs the best team in the NFL? + Can Cowboys offense carry them to the playoffs?
  2. Titans reportedly release WR Tyler Lockett after he asked to be let go
  3. NFL suspends Broncos LB Dre Greenlaw 1 game for chasing down, threatening official after win over Giants
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