For many Twins fans who were feeling down about the state of their favorite MLB team toward the end of the 2025 season, they at least had the NFL season to look forward to. The Minnesota Vikings, coming off a 14-3 season, spent the most money on free agency of any NFL team besides the New England Patriots, and it appeared that the team viewed 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy, who missed his rookie season last year due to a torn meniscus, as the franchise quarterback.
Vikings somehow matching Twins' level of disappointment
However, the Vikings somehow disappointed Minnesota fans even more than the Twins did this year. Because McCarthy has disappointed on the field, the free-agent signings haven't gone as planned and various injuries, the Vikings are currently in last place in the NFC North with a 4-8 record.
The main issue with the Vikings is McCarthy's inability to perform as many expected him to. Instead of leading a talented Vikings team to the playoffs, McCarthy has been so abysmal that he ranks 851st out of 852 eligible quarterbacks in EPA (Expected Points Added) since the year 2000. He has missed some games this year due to injuries, but that doesn't excuse his poor play.
To add insult to injury, the Vikings' quarterback from last season, Sam Darnold, led the Seattle Seahawks to a dominating 26-0 victory over the Vikings on Sunday while undrafted free agent Max Brosmer started for Minnesota.
The state of the Vikings is so bad right now that Adam Thielen was released upon request on Monday, despite the current season being his last, his status as a Minnesota native and his role as one of the Vikings' best wide receivers in history.
Vikings' regression leaves pressure-filled void that Twins must fill
Sure, Minnesota fans still have the Lynx, Timberwolves and Wild to cheer for. But for fans who mainly focus on the Twins and Vikings, it's been a dark year.
Hopefully the Twins and Vikings get back on track, but the future for both teams looks bleak. At least with the Vikings, there is no doubt that the team tries to win, considering the amount of money they shelled out in free agency this past offseason. But with the Twins, it feels like their main goal is to shed as much payroll as possible rather than win a World Series.