Vikings teammates rave about McCarthy’s brain, poise as Aaron Rodgers comparison surfaces

Aaron Jones wasn't the only one to rave about J.J. McCarthy; Jonathan Greenard also did.

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy during a training camp practice against the New England Patriots. | Image courtesy of the Minnesota Viking

Yes, Vikings running back Aaron Jones compared J.J. McCarthy's football brain to Aaron Rodgers. That's an incredible compliment from a teammate, but one that comes with a bit more strength since Jones was Rodgers' teammate in Green Bay for six seasons.

"He's very determined and he's very hungry. You see him in meetings asking those questions, trying to get a deeper understanding when the next person might be like, 'alright, I got the play down,' but he's trying to get the full concept," Jones began in a conversation about McCarthy with Kay Adams.

"He's just smart, the way he studies the game," Jones continued before dropping the Rodgers comparison. "There would be things, I come in my rookie year and A-Rod would be like, 'the blitz is coming from here,'" Jones explained. "A-Rod would be able to do that and he helped me out so much. He helped me out so much my first two years in pass protection, like hey, this guy's coming and if he doesn't come this guy's coming."

The Rodgers' comp continued: "Then the way he goes about himself. HIs preparation and the way they treat people. It all stems from up here (*pointing at his head) and that drive, and you can see it when you step on the field."

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Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard also praised McCarthy when talking to Adams, saying the 22-year-old "has a very high IQ for the game."

"He's made some crazy throws. Our D-line, we've been getting after him, so he's been getting real live reps," Greenard said. "To still see him standing in the pocket, making certain throws or evade the pocket and does what he does, it's exciting. I just love to see him just continuously keep going back. Even if we get a sack, he's going right back like, 'I don't care, we're going to do a it again.' Just that resilient mindset — and it's infectious to all of us."

Greenard added: "The sky's the limit for him. That's why I'm excited to see what he does come first game, because it's going to be a show for sure."