JUMP TO:
- J.J. McCarthy fiancee: Katya Kuropas
- J.J. McCarthy dad: Jim McCarthy
- J.J. McCarthy mom: Megan McCarthy
- J.J. McCarthy sisters
- Where is J.J. McCarthy from?
J.J. McCarthy's journey to NFL success wasn't without its potholes.
The Vikings' hurler achieved success at the collegiate level, leading Michigan to a national title during his final season on campus. Yet, he wasn't quite a darling in his draft class, especially when compared to other high-profile side-winders like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye.
No matter, though. McCarthy landed in what appeared the best situation for him to succeed. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones — Minnesota's offense teemed with playmakers. It just needed McCarthy to tie them together.
He wouldn't get the chance as a rookie. A torn meniscus spelled an end to McCarthy's first year before it even got underway. But he's still viewed highly in the Vikings' setup. And rest assured he's got a strong family unit to keep him focused. Here's what you need to know about the Michigan product's family tree.
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J.J. McCarthy fiancee: Katya Kuropas
McCarthy's fiancee is Katya Kuropas. She is McCarthy's high school sweetheart — the two met as teenagers at Nazareth Academy in La Grange, Illinois.
Kuropas is ever-present at McCarthy's games, sporting maize-and-blue strips while McCarthy fielded snaps with the Wolverines. She's kept that tradition going in the pros, albeit in different colors.
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McCarthy and Kuropas' romance crossed state lines when a then-17-year old McCarthy transferred to IMG Academy after Nazareth's football season was canceled due to COVID-19. Fast forward more than half a decade later and the two are still together, gallivanting in the Twin Cities. Soon, the couple will welcome another — Kuropas and McCarthy are expecting a boy, they announced in a joint statement on Instagram in May. He's due to arrive in September.
J.J. McCarthy dad: Jim McCarthy
McCarthy's father is Jim McCarthy. He, too, waltzed atop the freshly-manicured gridiron, turning out for Riverside-Brookfield High School as a teen. Jim's playing career was fairly unremarkable. But his athletic gifts, coupled with those of his wife, Megan, gave McCarthy a solid foundation to build upon.
“There are a couple of natural abilities I got from my parents," McCarthy told The News Gazette in 2019. "But there’s a lot of stuff I worked really hard on. I found my weaknesses and did everything I could to make those weaknesses turn into great tendencies.”
McCarthy's journey to big-league fame teemed with potholes and cracks. And yet, as far as Jim is concerned, it might have been preordained. During a 2024 interview with Rich Eisen, J.J. revealed that his father manifested his NFL future. He had the video to prove it: grainy footage from a camcorder that shows Jim talking to Megan's womb while she was pregnant.
"We're going to call you J.J., you're going to be daddy's little quarterback," Jim said.
Potential Top 5 pick @jjmccarthy09 shared an unbelievable home video from just before his birth that in a way ordained his football future — have some tissues nearby:#NFL #NFLDraft #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/bfNo3HfodU
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) April 24, 2024
As it turned out, he was right.
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J.J. McCarthy mom: Megan McCarthy
McCarthy's mother is Megan McCarthy.
J.J.'s first love wasn't football. Rather it was ice hockey. He embraced the ice as a youngster, slaloming beyond opposition defenders for a sight at goal. He was influenced by his mother, who was a competitive figure skater during her youth.
J.J. traveled across the continent to play hockey. But the prospect of going to Quebec to train in the sport was one step too far for McCarthy. He quit the sport as a teenager. His mother “cried for like two weeks", he told the Chicago Tribune.
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J.J. McCarthy sisters
McCarthy has two sisters, an older sister named Caitlin and a younger sister named Morgan.
Caitlin McCarthy
Caitlin McCarthy is J.J.'s older sister. According to Sportkeeda, she's a Nebraska graduate with a major in computer science and minors in business and math.
Caitlin earned plaudits for her efforts as part of Nebraska's Dance Marathon, a fundraiser which saw students raise money for Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha.
Morgan McCarthy
Morgan McCarthy is J.J.'s younger sister. She graduated from high school in 2023.
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Where is J.J. McCarthy from?
McCarthy hails from La Grange Park, Illinois, a village just west-southwest of Chicago. The town holds a population of around 13,500.
McCarthy attended Nazareth Academy, a Roman Catholic high school located in the heart of the town. He's one of a few notable talents to emerge from the school — Julian Love attended the high school, as did Niners defensive lineman CJ West and McCarthy's former college teammate, Tyler Morris.
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