J.J. McCarthy's Dad Knew Vikings Hero Would Be a Quarterback Even Before Birth

McCarthy’s night didn’t start smoothly. In the first half, he managed just 48 passing yards, struggling against a depleted Chicago defense. Things worsened when Bears defensive back Nahshon Wright intercepted his pass and returned it for a touchdown.

Instead of folding, McCarthy responded like a seasoned veteran. He gathered his teammates in the huddle and delivered a simple but powerful message: “Where would you rather be?”

Wide receiver Justin Jefferson later said those words “juiced us up,” and it showed. McCarthy hit Jefferson for a 13-yard touchdown, then connected with running back Aaron Jones on a 27-yard strike. Finally, he capped the comeback with a 14-yard rushing touchdown that gave Minnesota the lead for good.

By the final whistle, McCarthy had turned a frustrating night into history, one that reminded fans why the Vikings made him a first-round pick in 2024.

JJ McCarthy’s Dad Manifested for His Future

While McCarthy’s breakout moment electrified Vikings fans, the story behind it stretches back more than two decades. Long before McCarthy ever threw a pass, his father, Jim McCarthy, believed his son was destined to be a quarterback.

That belief came to light during a 2024 interview on “The Rich Eisen Show,” when McCarthy shared a home video recorded on the day of his birth, January 20, 2003.

In the clip, Jim McCarthy can be seen talking to his wife, Megan McCarthy, in the hospital room. While deciding on a name, he said he wanted to call their son Jonathan James, to be nicknamed J.J. Then, with the camcorder recording, he made a bold declaration:

“He’s gonna be daddy’s little quarterback.”

McCarthy admitted he only saw the footage six months before the 2024 NFL Draft, when his father finally showed it to him. The moment left him emotional, knowing how strongly his parents believed in his future before he even entered the world.

“Long story short, my dad manifested my entire life,” McCarthy said at the time.

Now, after a record-setting NFL debut, the prophecy rings truer than ever.

For Vikings fans, the comeback win against Chicago was the first sign of what could be a special era. For Jim McCarthy, it was proof that his words from a hospital room in 2003 had come full circle, his son is, indeed, “daddy’s little quarterback.”