For the first game of his second NFL season, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a special patch on his jersey: “NFL Premiere 2025.” Based on his performance, some have asked whether McCarthy is eligible for the offensive rookie of the year award.
He is not.
We’ve previously confirmed that McCarthy is not eligible for the prize. The “premiere” patch, however, creates confusion.
Complicating matters is that the NBA allows a second-year player who didn’t play in his first year to win its rookie of the year award. Ben Simmons did just that in 2017-18.
That’s not the case in the NFL. McCarthy was a rookie in 2024.
He is, however, eligible for comeback player of the year. He’s currently +1200 at DraftKings sportsbook. Trailing only Dak Prescott (+225), Christian McCaffrey (+225), Aidan Hutchinson (+350), Trevor Lawrence (+500), and Daniel Jones (+750).
Like former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in 2024, Jones doesn’t fit within the intended contours of the revised standard. That didn’t stop some voters (me included) from putting Darnold on the ballot.
McCarthy clearly fits the standard, even if he had never played in the NFL until Monday night. And even though the NFL put the “premiere” patch on his jersey.
