Justin Jefferson, Carson Wentz shock JJ McCarthy at Vikings vs Chargers; QB's reaction viral

Justin Jefferson nearly handed what could have been a blow to an injured JJ McCarthy, on Thursday.

Updated on: Oct 24, 2025, 07:06:22 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Justin Jefferson nearly handed what could have been a blow to an injured JJ McCarthy, who was supporting the Minnesota Vikings, against the Los Angeles Chargers, from the sidelines on Thursday. The star wide receiver, while collecting a throw by Carson Wentz, narrowly avoided a clash with McCarthy, who was visibly shocked.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) stands on the sideline during the first half vs Chargers (AP)

At the time of writing this story, the Chargers led Jefferson and co 14-3 with a minute left in the second quarter.

Reacting to the scary moment between Jefferson and McCarthy, one reporter tweeted: “Justin Jefferson nearly took out JJ McCarthy while making this catch near the sideline — but McCarthy jumped out of the way just in time. McCarthy even got a first-down celebration in after.”

“JJ McCarthy been out since week 2 with a high ankle sprain but bro moving like Lamar Jackson on the sideline 😭😭😭” a fan added on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Luckily JJ McCarthy avoided this hit on the Jefferson catch,” a third one stated.

JJ McCarthy injury update

JJ McCarthy was sidelined for Thursday night’s game as he continues to recover from a high right-ankle sprain. However, he was listed as the team’s emergency third quarterback

It marks the fifth straight game McCarthy won’t be active, though this is his second consecutive week holding emergency status. That means he’ll only enter the game if both Carson Wentz and backup Max Brosmer are forced out due to injury.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert that McCarthy has made progress, participating in limited practices the past two weeks, but isn’t quite ready for a full workload. “It’s just not there,” O’Connell said of McCarthy’s Tuesday session, adding the second-year QB might have been cleared if the team had a Sunday game instead of a Thursday one.

McCarthy’s next opportunity to return to action will come when the Vikings face the Detroit Lions on Sunday, November 2.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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