Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy may only be 22 years old, the youngest starting quarterback heading into Week 1, but he’s certain he’s battle-tested.
Approaching his first career NFL start on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, McCarthy made his feelings on the matchup clear, touting his readiness after missing his entire rookie season due to a meniscus injury.
“Most prepared I’ve felt in my life,” McCarthy said in a September 3 news conference, adding that he’s prepared with backup Carson Wentz for all the variables that could come into play for a season opener. “You never really know what you’re going to get… so the most important thing is just staying locked into the simple things, locked into what my job is that play, and then reacting to what the defense is giving me. But very prepared and very confident.”
Born and raised in La Grange, Illinois, McCarthy’s return to Soldier Field is sure to conjure some butterflies. However, he said the jump from high school to playing at Michigan was more intense.
“It really doesn’t [compare], to be honest with you,” McCarthy said. “Just playing so many big games at Michigan, obviously, it’s a different level here. But just having those reps of those emotions that you feel, and how you handle them, and how you manage them. But this one, there’s just pure excitement, pure confidence.
J.J. McCarthy Explains Handling the Emotions of First NFL Start
As a high schooler, McCarthy transferred to Florida prep powerhouse IMG Academy before the global pandemic. Away from his home, McCarthy adopted a meditation practice and mindfulness to handle the anxieties of the time.
Those habits followed him to Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to an undefeated national championship season before he was selected 10th overall in the 2024 draft.
Ahead of Monday night’s primetime matchup, McCarthy showed his intent to remain poised despite the emotions that will come.
“I just try to be completely present. There’s going to be anxiousness, excitement and a whole lot of adrenaline. At the end of the day, that’s completely normal, and accepting those emotions, you’re able to let go of them a lot quicker than trying to deflect them and avoid them,” he said. “I know I’m going to be amped up, but I know that Coach O’Connell’s going to put me in a great position and my teammates around me are going to do everything they can to make sure we’re successful each and every play.
“It’s just stay present, stay calm and centered.”
Bears’ Caleb Williams Addresses Budding Rivalry With Vikings’ JJ McCarthy
As the Vikings and Bears reset at the quarterback position in the 2024 draft, many acknowledged the potential for what could be a decade-long rivalry between McCarthy and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
The two first-rounders are slated for their first-ever meeting on Monday, which could set the stage for just that.
As a rookie, Williams went 5-12 as a starter for a Bears team that saw its head coach and offensive coordinator fired. He threw for 3,541 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions despite the dysfunction.
While Williams is not familiar with McCarthy, he did not discount McCarthy’s ability to compete and the potential for a rivalry.
“I don’t necessarily know McCarthy… but I know he’s a competitor,” Williams said on Wednesday, September 3. He’s won some games at the college level and won a national championship. He’s a competitor.
“The rivalry part of it, we’ll have to see.”
Yankees Reliever Set to Begin Rehab Assignment
In the midst of their push to reclaim first place in the AL East, the New York Yankees announced that left-handed reliever Brent Headrick is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.
Headrick was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 19 after sustaining a left forearm contusion. Before being on the mend, he had allowed an earned run in just one of his last seven appearances out of the Yankees’ bullpen.
The southpaw had previously dealt with an undisclosed injury that resulted in a trip to the 7-day IL with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late June. He was activated on July 19 before later earning a call-up to the majors on July 27.
New York claimed Headrick off waivers from the Minnesota Twins as the club’s pitchers and catchers were reporting to spring training on February 11.
He made the team’s Opening Day roster as one of three lefty relievers alongside Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough. After allowing no runs over his first four appearances of the season, however, he was optioned to Triple-A on April 6.
Aug 10, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Brent Headrick (47) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The 27-year-old rejoined the big-league club on May 22 and posted back-to-back scoreless performances before the Los Angeles Dodgers strafed him for three runs on May 31. Headrick was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre nearly two weeks later on June 12.
On the season as a whole, Headrick has logged an impressive 3.13 ERA with 30 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP across 17 outings totaling 23 innings in the majors. Over 13 appearances at Triple-A, he’s been responsible for a 3.86 ERA.
A Twins ninth-round pick out of Illinois State University in the 2019 MLB Draft, Headrick made his major league debut on April 19, 2023 against the Boston Red Sox and pitched three innings of one-run ball, but the southpaw’s rookie season as a whole wasn’t exactly spotless.
In 14 outings and 25 2/3 innings that year, Headrick put up a 6.31 ERA to go alongside a 6.10 FIP while also recording a 4.68 ERA over 19 appearances for Triple-A St. Paul.
He dealt with a forearm strain for a majority of the 2024 campaign that limited him to just a single big-league appearance before Minnesota designated him for assignment ahead of spring training, opening the door for New York to land him off waivers.