Young quarterback JJ McCarthy showed why many were excited to watch his debut for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.
He struggled in the first three quarters against the Chicago Bears on Monday. It could be chalked up to rookie jitters, as it was McCarthy's first game for the Vikings after sitting out his entire first year due to a knee injury.
But apparently, McCarthy was just waiting for the right moment. He buckled down in the fourth quarter, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another score to help Minnesota complete the come-from-behind win, 27-24.
On Wednesday, the 22-year-old signal-caller took to Instagram to tout their victory.
“1-0,” wrote McCarthy, who was drafted by the Vikings as the 10th overall pick in 2024.
His post quickly garnered attention, with teammate Byron Murphy Jr. chiming in.
“That boi,” commented the Vikings cornerback.
Indianapolis Colts' Camryn Bynum commented, “Dawg,” while NFL Network's Rich Eisen said, “Go Blue.”
Of course, fans also expressed their thoughts, hailing McCarthy for a job well done.
“Bring us to the promised land, baby! 🔐,” said @calvin.adams.
“That boy is different 😤,” added @strictlyleighton.
“Where else would you rather be?” wrote @wy_miller.
“I made sure to reply to every hate comment/post at halftime. You proved me right, JJ 💯,” shared @collinastewart.
“This is the year, he’s having fun,” posted @tndtakeover.
As they say, it's not how you start but how you finish.
McCarthy went 13-of-20 for 143 yards and added two carries for 25 yards, including the 14-yard rush with less than three minutes left in the game, securing the win for the Vikings.
After the game, he credited Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell for maintaining his belief in him despite his subpar play early on. O'Connell told McCarthy at halftime that he would lead them to victory.
“Any kind of compliments or belief like that means the world (to me). That just gave me the confidence to go out there and just execute the ball plays, have a fast arm, and make quick, decisive decisions. It worked out,” said McCarthy in a report from the Associated Press.
The Vikings will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
