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Misleading J.J. McCarthy post nears 5 million views amid growing misinformation on X

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 11:22 AM ET

Social media has always been a mix of truth, lies, facts, and misinformation. But in today's era of social media, distinguishing between what's real and what's not is harder than ever before—and that is also true in the world of sports. With NFL training camps recently underway, some fans have taken the opportunity to spread false narratives about high-profile players in an attempt to gain attention and followers.

One recent example involves Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy. Entering his first year as the team's starter, actual reports suggest McCarthy is progressing well. However, a misleading post using an old training camp video falsely claimed he was struggling and had thrown his fifth interception of the day. That post has now racked up nearly 5 million views, with many sharing it as if it were fact.

It’s always an adjustment to learn how to read the defense when you don’t know what the defense is doing. https://t.co/jZ3w2pkndI
— Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) July 27, 2025

3.7 million people have watched this video from last year and potentially read this made-up statistic. How many will fact-check? What a platform, what a world. https://t.co/5rHJJpHpxK
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) July 27, 2025

According to Alex Lewis of The Athletic, McCarthy has shown promising growth from year one to year two—although he cautions that it's still early.

"Any in-depth evaluation would be foolish until Monday, when players don pads and the pass rush speeds McCarthy up even further. However, the 22-year-old has checked critical boxes early on. The Vikings have gotten in and out of the huddle on time, and the operation at the line of scrimmage has been smooth. McCarthy used cadences Saturday to create a free play, and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown patted him on the helmet afterward. Processing the defensive picture hasn’t been an issue either. McCarthy executed Saturday’s red zone period as well as anyone could have hoped."

Yet, credible reporting like the one from Lewis often gets buried beneath viral misinformation.

The issue isn't limited to McCarthy. False reports have also targeted players like Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens. In Pickens' case, even ESPN mistakenly amplified a false report before issuing a correction.

NEWS: ESPN Molly Qerim apologizes for the network showing a fake George Pickens training camp play from social media

“Earlier we showed video that we identified as George Pickens at Cowboys training camp. It was not George, so we apologize on that mistake”pic.twitter.com/XfYvGMnwHd https://t.co/KXmmt9mCYp
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 22, 2025

Misinformation spreads faster than ever—especially on platforms like X/Twitter—making it critically important to fact-check what you read, even from verified accounts. While some users unknowingly fall for false information, others deliberately share and reshare content they know is untrue, revealing a deeper problem with how information is consumed and spread online.