The Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy head coach-player duo was among the best in Michigan Wolverines history. During the 2023 college football season, they led the team to a national championship for the first time since 1997.
While the Wolverines did secure a national championship title, it was a rough year for them due to the cheating allegations, which even led Harbaugh to a multi-game suspension.
McCarthy and Harbaugh migrated to the NFL after the 2023 season, one as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and the other as the Minnesota Vikings’ 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jim Harbaugh Heaps Praise on Former Michigan Star J.J. McCarthy Amid Vikings QB Conversation
The Vikings fans were hyped to see McCarthy, one of the best quarterbacks in Michigan’s history, join the franchise during the 2024 NFL Draft.
The hype grew when McCarthy showed off his electric skills during the NFL preseason matchup against the LA Raiders. He completed 11-of-17 attempts for 188 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading the team to a 24-23 victory.
However, a heartbreaking injury, a right meniscus tear, caused McCarthy to take a back seat and miss the 2024 season.
McCarthy has spent time in rehab and recovery to ensure he’s prepared to play in the 2025 NFL season. To give the Vikings fans a vote of confidence, his former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, even compared McCarthy to Justin Herbert.
“I mean, I love J.J. McCarthy. He’s so much like Justin Herbert in the way that the energy that they bring, the tone setters. J.J. is a tone-setter, brings the energy, and great talent. And it’s every fiber of his being is about helping his team,” Harbaugh explained.
The Chargers coach continued, “And it’s just like Justin, you know? Justin is a perfectionist as well. Him and J.J. are a lot the same that way. They want to be good. They want to be great. And it’s not self-promoting, in a self-promotion way, like they want to be great for themselves. They want to be great for their teammates.”
#Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on his former player JJ McCarthy:
“JJ is a tone setter. He brings the energy, great talent. Every fiber of his being is about helping the team… I can guarantee #Vikings fans that he is up and at it today, attacking the day with enthusiasm unknown to… pic.twitter.com/bnpUK4dp7V
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 26, 2025
“So they’re in great hands. J.J. has attacked his rehab the entire last six, seven months. And I can guarantee you, Vikings fans, that he is up and at it already today, attacking the day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
Harbaugh also said that because he loves McCarthy, it will be hard to play against the Vikings as a part of him will be across that sideline.