J.J. McCarthy delivered a dramatic Monday Night Football finish as the Minnesota Vikings finally snapped a frustrating 14-game skid, rallying from 11+ points down in the second half at Chicago to escape with a 27-24 victory.
The rookie quarterback, making his long-awaited NFL debut after missing 2024 with an ACL tear, overcame an interception and early struggles to engineer three fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was the perfect introduction for a player drafted to be the future in Minnesota.
The defining moment came after McCarthy had his interception returned for a touchdown in the third quarter. With the Vikings down and frustration mounting, right tackle Brian O'Neill recalled the 22-year-old quarterback pacing the sideline with conviction.
”He believed that it was about to pop,” O'Neill said, describing how McCarthy walked up and down, drilling teammates on small details and refocusing the huddle.
According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, running back Aaron Jones Sr. added his own memory, with McCarthy looking around before the go-ahead drive and asking, ”Is there any place you'd rather be?” Minutes later, Jones caught a 27-yard touchdown pass that flipped the game.
From there, the night belonged to McCarthy. he delivered a scoring strike to Justin Jefferson, set up long drives with timely checkdowns, and capped the comeback with a 14-yard rushing touchdown of his own. In all, he completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards with two passing TDs and one on the ground.
He became the first rookie QB in NFL history to account for three fourth-quarter touchdowns in his debut and joined Steve Young as one of only two quarterbacks in the last 45 years to erase a double-digit deficit in their debut and win.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell said afterward that the rookies' in-game adjustments stood out. ”To me, J.J. looked settled in,” O'Connell explained, noting the importance of protecting him better while praising his ability to stay calm despite early jitters.
That confidence, paired with a Bears secondary missing stars Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, allowed McCarthy to seize momentum when it mattered most. Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings have their next home matchup on Sunday, September 14, when they face the Falcons.
