JJ McCarthy clears concussion protocol as he’s set for Vikings return

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy should be ready to go for Sunday’s game against the Commanders.

McCarthy cleared concussion protocol on Thursday, paving the way for his return to the starting lineup.

The rookie quarterback suffered the concussion during Minnesota’s 23-6 Week 12 loss to the Packers and missed his team’s shutout loss against the Seahawks last week.

McCarthy, who was placed in the concussion protocol after reporting symptoms on the flight back from Green Bay, said he can’t remember exactly which play caused his injury.

“Every single game kind of feels like you get kicked in the face by a donkey,” McCarthy told reporters Thursday.

McCarthy’s concussion was the second injury that he has faced this season, with the 22-year-old suffering a high right ankle sprain in Week 2.

The two injuries have caused McCarthy to miss half of the season so far, with the former first-round pick being sidelined for six games.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that he plans to abandon his focus on McCarthy’s mechanics, opting for him to concentrate on his decision-making and avoiding open-field contact.

“There will be time to fundamentally focus on things and continue building this layer and a foundation that will be important for him into the future,” O’Connell said. “But now it feels like he’s got enough experience. He knows a lot of these principles that we’ve talked about.

“I want him to have a clear head and a clear mind to just go play, but play with an understanding of the decisions that I make with the ball in my hand, the decisions that I make as a passer,” he said, “and as we’ve learned, very important as a runner to protect himself and make sure that we can keep him in there.”

Through his six games played this season, McCarthy hasn’t exactly been stellar, throwing for 929 passing yards with six touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing just 86-of-159 of his passes.

McCarthy told reporters that he plans to change his mentality for the final month of the season, saying that he wants to stop overthinking and worrying about mechanics.

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“A lot of the mentality has changed, for sure,” McCarthy said. “I was just so focused on doing every rep perfect and making sure every little detail was crossed and checked off. I feel like coach O’Connell and (quarterbacks) coach (Josh) McCown, them talking to me about ‘Hey, let’s worry about that stuff in the offseason. Go out there, play your ball, just execute the play.’

“That just frees up a lot of space mentally to be instinctual, react, and respond to what the defense is giving me. Very excited to play.”