
J.J. McCarthy played football on Saturday for the first time since last August, and the emotion of the moment overcame the young quarterback before opening kickoff.
A first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, McCarthy played in one preseason game for the Vikings last summer and tore his meniscus in the process. He underwent surgery and missed his entire rookie season as Minnesota was led to a 14-3 record by Sam Darnold. McCarthy will start under center this season with Darnold departing in free agency and Saturday marked his first opportunity to suit up for a real game in about a year.