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J. J. McCarthy is out for the 2024-25 season after needing surgery on his right meniscus. He is the first first-round quarterback ever to miss his entire rookie year because of injury.
That is a massive blow to the Minnesota Vikings, who had been banking on him to maintain their competitiveness in the NFC North. Still, he is determined to fight through the pain and regain his full form for 2025, as he expressed on Instagram.
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One of the people who reacted was his fiancee Katya Kuropas who said:
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McCarthy is not the only Viking to have suffered a significant injury during the preseason. Sophomore wide receiver Jordan Addison was seen clutching his leg in Wednesday's practice and had to be carted off the field.
Who is J. J. McCarthy's fiancee Katya Kuropas?
J. J. McCarthy met his future fiance in high school, in this case Nazareth Academy in Illinois. But the COVID-19 pandemic separated them, as Nazareth's football shutdown forced him to move to the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida.
That long-distance chapter of their relationship would not last, fortunately. When he committed to Michigan, his girlfriend followed him there and stayed with him throughout his tenure.
Just weeks after clinching the national title, McCarthy proposed to Kuropas:
In June, rumors surfaced that she had been helping him study the Vikings' playbook:
Other NFL players react to J. J. McCarthy's season-ending injury
There was much grief and prayer among the Vikings when they heard of J. J. McCarthy injuring his meniscus and needing surgery on it. One of them was nose tackle Harrison Phillips:
Cornerbacks Camryn Bynum and Shaquill Griffin also sent their well wishes:
Two of McCarthy's fellow rookie ex-Wolverines on other teams also commiserated with him - Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Cornelius Johnson and Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner:
Even "Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner, who was born and raised in Michigan, reacted:
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