The Vikings have put a lot of trust into J.J. McCarthy, as the former first-round pick became the team's unquestioned starting quarterback in 2025.
Minnesota traded up in the 2024 NFL draft to take McCarthy in a quarterback-heavy draft, showing how much they believed in the player from the beginning. However, in taking McCarthy, they added a player that has connections with many of Minnesota's rival fanbases.
McCarthy actually grew up rooting against the Vikings, and his time in college was spent accumulating fans from another NFC North rival. Here's a look at McCarthy's childhood and background until he landed in Minnesota.
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J.J. McCarthy hometown?
J.J. McCarthy was born in Evanston, Illinois but grew up in La Grange Park, which is located about 30 minutes outside of Chicago. As a result, McCarthy grew up a Bears fan being so close to Chicago.
Bears fan JJ McCarthy! pic.twitter.com/0u6XXnEfVn
— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) September 3, 2025
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Where did J.J. McCarthy go to high school?
For the first three years of his high school career, McCarthy attended Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park, Illinois. However, for his senior season, McCarthy transferred to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida to further prepare for his college career.
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J.J. McCarthy high school stats
Here's a look at McCarthy's stats from his senior season at the IMG Academy.
- Games: 6
- Completions/Attempts: 91/157
- Passing yards: 1,440
- Yards per game: 240.0
- Touchdowns: 16
- Interceptions: 0
- Passer rating: 122.6
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Where did J.J. McCarthy go to college?
McCarthy spent three seasons attending the University of Michigan, which included two years as the team's starter. In his time as a Wolverine, Michigan made the College Football Playoff each season, which included twice when he was the starter.
McCarthy took over as Michigan's starter in 2022 and went 28-1 over the next two seasons, with his only loss coming in the CFP semifinal during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl. He led Michigan to a 15-0 season in 2023, as the Wolverines won the National Championship.
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J.J. McCarthy college stats
Here's a look at what McCarthy was able to do on the field for the Wolverines.
| Year | Games | Completion % | Passing yards | Passing touchdowns | Interceptions | Passer rating | Rushing attempts | Rushing yards | Rushing touchdowns |
| 2021 | 11 | 57.6% | 516 | 5 | 2 | 152.3 | 27 | 124 | 2 |
| 2022 | 14 | 64.6% | 2,719 | 22 | 5 | 155.0 | 70 | 306 | 5 |
| 2023 | 15 | 72.3% | 2,991 | 22 | 4 | 167.4 | 64 | 202 | 3 |
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