'Surreal' J.J. McCarthy stats from debut that shook the NFL

J.J. McCarthy stats became the story of Week 1 after the Minnesota Vikings rookie dragged his team to a 27-24 comeback win over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 8 at Soldier Field. The 22-year-old, making his first NFL start, finished with three fourth-quarter touchdowns that etched his name in league history.

J.J. McCarthy stats from the comeback win over the Chicago Bears in Week 1

McCarthy went 13-of-20 passing for 143 yards with two touchdown throws, one interception, and 25 rushing yards with another score. The numbers might look modest, but the timing made them historic. According to OptaSTATS, McCarthy became the first player in NFL history to record two passing touchdowns of at least 10 yards and a rushing touchdown of at least 10 yards in the fourth quarter of any game.The Vikings trailed 17-6 entering the fourth quarter. McCarthy responded by leading three scoring drives, including a five-minute march capped by a designed run into the end zone.

His passer rating in the final quarter was 148.5.“You are going to bring us back to win this game,” head coach Kevin O’Connell told him at halftime. The rookie answered with poise. “The look in his eye was fantastic,” O’Connell added.In the huddle, McCarthy sparked teammates with one line: “Where else would you rather be?” Justin Jefferson said the message landed. “It juiced us up, honestly, to hear our quarterback have those words and lead us in that type of way.

He knows how to have that dawg mentality.”McCarthy joined Hall of Famer Steve Young as the only quarterbacks in the past 45 years to win their debut after erasing a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit. He also matched Cam Newton’s 2011 feat of posting two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in an NFL debut.

J.J. McCarthy salary, contract details and total career earnings with the Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings drafted McCarthy tenth overall in 2024, signing him to a four-year, $21.85 million rookie deal that included a $12.7 million signing bonus and a fifth-year option.

He has already earned $13.5 million, with most of it coming through that signing bonus and licensing deals tied to the NFL Players Association.McCarthy’s estimated net worth was around $1 million when he entered the league. It jumped after his rookie contract and endorsements with Bose, Dunkin, Panini, and other brands. His first real chance at franchise-quarterback money comes in 2028, when the Vikings will either exercise his fifth-year option or extend him long term.

J.J. McCarthy stats put into context with the Minnesota Vikings’ future

McCarthy’s stats against Chicago showed flaws early. He had only five passing yards in the second quarter and threw a pick-six to Nahshon Wright in the third. But what followed proved why Minnesota made him the starter over Sam Darnold.Through three quarters, the Vikings’ offense managed just six points. Then McCarthy flipped the game. He completed six of eight passes in the fourth quarter, totaled 101 yards, and accounted for three touchdowns. He did it on national television against the NFC North rival Bears, in the same city where he grew up.The Vikings will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 14 in their home opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. Kirk Cousins, now a backup in Atlanta, will return to Minnesota as McCarthy looks to build on a debut that already put him in the record books.