Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy sends 4-word reaction as Mak Whitham makes NWSL history

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy had words of encouragement for Mak Whitham after Whitham became the youngest player in NWSL history. She came on for Gotham FC in their 1-1 draw with the Seattle Reign.

It was a historic feat for the US youth team forward, and McCarthy was quick to take note. She had signed at the age of 13, but getting on the pitch is a huge achievement, as he himself knows.

He has become the undisputed starter in Minnesota this year after an injury in the 2024 preseason caused him to miss the entire season. He saw Sam Darnold play at an MVP level as the team reached the playoffs in his absence. But Kevin O'Connell decided to stick with him as the franchise's future and Darnold signed with the Seahawks in free agency.

Congratulating Mak Whitham for making history, he posted a message on Instagram story:

"LFG... Just the beginning..."

It was an appropriate message from a quarterback who's also waiting for his own beginning a year after signing with the Vikings.

Screenshot from J.J. McCarthy's Instagram story

---

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy's age makes his Mak Whitham message pertinent

Beyond the obvious parallels between the two players just beginning their professional careers, J.J. McCarthy knows something about achieving expectations from a young age.

He turned 22 this year. For comparison, Caleb Williams is 23, Jayden Daniels is 24, Drake Maye is 22 but will turn 23 this year, Bo Nix is 25, and Michael Penix Jr. is 24. All the quarterbacks who went in the first round in the 2024 NFL Draft were older than the Vikings quarterback.

There are other similarities too. Mak Whitham replaced Esther when she came on for Gotham FC, with Esther an established player and a World Cup champion with Spain. Similarly, J.J. McCarthy was initially supposed to replace Kirk Cousins last year and Sam Darnold now, both of whom are established veterans. There's a kinship there looking at the tasks ahead for both players.

Aside from taking inspiration from Mak Whitham, he also knows that he was a college-level champion when the Vikings selected him, something the other quarterbacks in his draft couldn't claim.

It looks like Kevin O'Connell, the reigning coach of the year, certainly thinks that J.J. McCarthy can thrive in the NFL despite his young age and coming off an injury. It will be interesting to see how both players' arcs shape out over the years.