Vikings rookie JJ McCarthy shares cryptic post following crushing playoff defeat
2025-01-15
Category: sports

Minnesota Vikings first round pick J.J. McCarthy posted a cryptic message on social media after the Minnesota Vikings suffered a crushing defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Monday night.&nbsp; The post comes amid speculation about&nbsp;Sam Darnold’s future in Minnesota.&nbsp;  The Vikings went 14-3 during the regular season with Darnold at the helm. He had seemingly resurrected his career after a tumultuous start with the New York Jets and several backup roles following.&nbsp; CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM But the playoffs were different.&nbsp; Battling for the top seed in the NFC, the Vikings were blown out by the&nbsp;Detroit Lions in Week 18. Darnold completed just 19 of 41 for 166 yards and no touchdowns. He was also sacked twice. Fast-forward to Monday night, and the former first round draft pick didn’t show any signs of improvement.&nbsp; He finished the 27-9 loss going 25 of 39 for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was also sacked nine times.&nbsp; "I clearly didn't play well enough the past couple weeks," Darnold said after the game.&nbsp; SAM DARNOLD'S VIKINGS FUTURE IN QUESTION AFTER POOR PLAYOFF GAME AS HEAD COACH MAKES TELLING COMMENT But more interesting than Darnold’s postgame admission were the comments made by backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy.&nbsp;  The former&nbsp;Michigan quarterback, who won a national championship before being drafted by the Vikings with the No. 10 overall pick, posted a cryptic message on X after Minnesota’s loss.&nbsp; "Amor fati," he wrote.&nbsp;  The Latin phrase, meaning "love of fate," refers to the mindset applied to how someone views life, in both the good and bad.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The post, which went viral on social media, could have several meanings for McCarthy.&nbsp;  He missed his entire rookie season due to injury and could return for the 2025 season as the Vikings’ new starter as Darnold becomes a free agent following back-to-back losses to end the year. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.