J.J. McCarthy’s personal QB coach apologizes for calling Vikings legend Cris Carter a “clown”

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J.J. McCarthy's personal QB coach apologizes for calling Vikings legend Cris Carter a "clown"

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a lot to manage right now. His coaches say he needs to fix his mechanics, his teammates are frustrated as the losses pile up and he has the expectations of the Vikings fanbase on his shoulders.

He probably doesn’t need to add any beef to his plate right now. But he’s at the center of some thanks to his longtime personal coach Greg Holcomb.

McCarthy’s performance against the Chicago Bears earned a thumbs down from franchise legend Cris Carter — literally — and Holcomb fired back, calling Carter a “F’kn clown” on social media. Holcomb has since apologized for the insult.

Carter, who attended Sunday’s loss, voiced his disappointment with McCarthy’s play on social media. When ex-NFLer Emmanuel Acho said McCarthy had the “clutch gene” following his late-game, go-ahead touchdown, Carter replied, “Did you watch the first 59 mins?”

That prompted Holcomb’s own response.

On Wednesday, Holcomb posted a letter on social media apologizing to both Carter and the Vikings’ fanbase.

“While I will always stand up for someone I love like my own son, my choice of words was completely unacceptable,” Holcomb wrote. “My reaction was unprofessional, disrespectful, and far below the standards I hold for myself. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me, and in doing so, I disrespected not only Mr. Carter — a Hall of Famer and legend of the game — but also the Minnesota Vikings community.”

Holcomb later deleted the mea culpa, saying he was “asked to remove the letter from social media, but that does not diminish my apology to Cris Carter & the Vikings fanbase.”

Outside of McCarthy’s family and the Vikings organization, there is perhaps no one more invested in the young quarterback’s success than Holcomb. As a personal QB coach, Holcomb leads Next Level Quarterback Training. The organization’s website features a testimonial from McCarthy’s dad on the homepage.

“Our son would never be where he is without the real game training, personal attention and dedication he got with coach Greg at Next Level,” the testimonial reads. “If your son truly wants to excel at the QB position, Greg Holcomb is the best in the business.”

Holcomb’s banner image on X is McCarthy from his high school days at Nazareth Academy. It’s natural for Holcomb to want to defend his protege, but perhaps he should leave the white-knighting to McCarthy’s teammates and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who have espoused continued belief in the young passer.

Whether that belief is warranted is a matter of much debate. It’s obviously a limited sample size, but McCarthy’s game against Chicago was one of his worst as a pro. He completed just 50% of his passes for 150 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His QBR was 47.7.

With the twin caveats of youth and inexperience, McCarthy has thus far failed to live up to the 10th overall pick with which the Vikings selected him. According to Sumer Sports, McCarthy’s expected points added per play is the worst in the league among QBs who entered the season as a starter.

At the very least, Holcomb should pick his battles better — Carter is among the most beloved Vikings of all time. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in yards, catches and touchdowns, and has continued supporting the team long after his career ended.

Meanwhile, McCarthy is preparing for his first start at Lambeau Field this weekend. The brightest spot of his young career is his 2-0 road record in the NFC North. He’ll hope to stay perfect when the Vikings take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.