J.J. McCarthy’s alter ego and where it could take Vikings
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Vikings, Lions and McCarthy
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12hon MSN
McCarthy's leadership comes with ease for Vikings, who face another back-on-track team in the Ravens
J.J. McCarthy burst into Minnesota's locker room in Detroit last week in the afterglow of a critical victory for the Vikings, meeting his boisterously welcoming teammates with an enthusiasm and intensity that took the party for the visitors to an even higher level.
McCarthy helped spark an upset win over the Lions on Sunday. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit thinks Minnesota could go on a run with McCarthy under center.
J.J. McCarthy passionately nodded his head, not blinking as he listened to his head coach's speech. As the Minnesota Vikings' second-year quarterback made his way in front of his excited teammates, he clapped his hands together and let out a roar.
18hon MSN
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy reveals gameday alter ego "Nine": "I love feeding that wolf."
McCarthy's has intense gameday demeanor has been celebrated in Vikings postgame locker room videos and mocked on social media
McCarthy is not dog or wolf; his authentic state is both, and it is remarkable that he is able to both use it and articulate it at such a young age. His on-field play is very remindful of what a 22-year-old should be doing. His performance is uneven, imperfect, breathtaking in one moment and cringeworthy the next.
McCarthy’s calm demeanor disappears between the lines, replaced by an alter ego teammates swear is the real deal.
In a game that the Minnesota Vikings weren't expected to win, according to many, J.J. McCarthy arguably played his best game in the NFL. While the youngster only threw for 143 yards, he added two touchdowns in the air and made some big plays when it mattered most.
The video below is from Kevin O’Connell’s postgame speech after the Minnesota Vikings’ 27-24 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Scroll to the 2:31 mark
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