Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh lights up when talking about J.J. McCarthy and his words ring true for the Vikings

The 2025 season is the first time in a decade where the Minnesota Vikings will have a first-time starting quarterback with the last being Teddy Bridgewater, who took the starting job of Matt Cassel early in the 2014 season. When general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah ended up selecting quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh talks to quarterback J.J. McCarthy before the start of the Rose Bowl vs. Alabama in Pasadena, California, on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2025 season is the first time in a decade where the Minnesota Vikings will have a first-time starting quarterback with the last being Teddy Bridgewater, who took the starting job of Matt Cassel early in the 2014 season.

When general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah ended up selecting quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they changed the course of the franchise. It was an obvious pick in hindsight for the Vikings, as they desperately needed a future at the position.

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Jim Harbaugh praises J.J. McCarthy

We've known that McCarthy's former, now current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh loves his former signal caller. He even proclaimed ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft that McCarthy was the best quarterback in the class.

He said as much again when he appeared on The Rich Eisen Show when the two Michigan alums discussed McCarthy among other players. The really interesting comments came when Eisen mentioned that the Chargers play the Vikings this year.

"Just a great another beloved son, JJ. I mean, it will be, it'll be nostalgic now, but I know once, we're gonna just envisioning playing, he's a tremendous competitor, and it's great. Just, yeah, it's get a little you get a little nostalgic about it, and I'm just so happy for each and every one of the guys and those you're talking about. You're talking about long and trusting friendships. So, Vikings fans are gonna be very happy as well."

It's long been known the love that Harbaugh has for McCarthy and the continued words about him should instill even more confidence in Vikings fans with him to start the season.

Now, the betting markets and NFL media doesn't necessarily agree with that assessment. They don't project him to have a good first season as a starter, and that comes despite the Vikings having a loaded roster.

Time will tell on this moving forward, but if his college coach loves McCarthy, maybe the media should start.

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