J.J. McCarthy evaluates his growth since arriving with the Vikings

JJ McCarthy achieved a lifelong dream of hearing his name called in the NFL Draft. However, he isn’t satisfied. In June, the Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback revealed how he’s improving each day.

“Every single day, I’ve just been focusing on new things to get better and progress on from the last day. I always try to be better tomorrow than I am today,” McCarthy said. “It’s not a straight line.

“It goes up, it goes down, it goes up, it goes down, but I’m trying to just maintain that trajectory of going up and up. I feel like I’m on that and just attacking every day with a growth mindset and it’s been doing me well so far.”

McCarthy’s relentless work ethic paid dividends at the collegiate level. In the 2023 campaign at Michigan, McCarthy started all 15 games, tallying 2,991 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. The 6-foot-3 junior also compiled 202 yards and three scores on the ground.

Fueled by McCarthy’s excellent play behind center, Michigan reeled in its first national title since 1997. For his efforts, McCarthy was named the Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year and a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist.

JJ McCarthy receives rave reviews in early practices

The standout season was more than enough to entice the Vikings. The team ultimately traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to select him with the No. 10 overall pick. McCarthy’s drive for greatness has already wowed Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.

“He’s trying to have the best possible day that he can today and then try to do the same thing tomorrow,” O’Connell said. “This guy is a process-driven guy and understands that there’s a long road ahead of him.

“We’re just trying to make incremental gains that will be solidified as part of how he plays quarterback for a long time. So, I’ve been really impressed with him so far.”

McCarthy received endless praise for his leadership at Michigan, with former head coach Jim Harbaugh even calling him the greatest college quarterback of all time. Evidently, McCarthy’s self-belief is carrying over to the next level.

“It was simple because it didn’t feel like my first day,” McCarthy said after his first practice with the Vikings. “I’ve been going over the offense for a long time now, so being able to go out there and actually be able to perform and execute it, that’s new. But, it was nothing that was overwhelming or too much.”