JJ McCarthy’s rookie season was cut short before it started due to a preseason knee injury. The former Michigan quarterback is expected to be the Minnesota Vikings’ starter in 2025, and it was recently announced that he will face his former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, in prime time.
The NFL schedule is slowly being released, and Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers will host his former quarterback.
Jim Harbaugh Set To Host J.J. McCarthy on TNF
McCarthy was a five-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class and chose Michigan after being shunned by his childhood team, Ohio State. He didn’t start any games as a true freshman, but appeared in 11, backing up starter Cade McNamara. That year, he threw for 516 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions.
He began the next season competing with McNamara for the starting job, and won it after a strong performance in Week 2 of the 2022 season. McCarthy led Michigan to an undefeated regular season, including a 45-23 victory over Ohio State, and a Big 10 Championship Game victory. The Wolverines fell to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal, but McCarthy proved himself, throwing for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Harbaugh’s name swirled among NFL head coaching rumors during McCarthy’s time at Michigan, but the head coach chose to stay for the 2023 season.
McCarthy was the unquestioned starter in 2023 and led Michigan to another undefeated regular season and Big 10 Championship Game victory. His numbers were nearly identical to the year before, throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions. However, McCarthy and the Wolverines knocked off Alabama and Washington en route to a national championship.
Harbaugh bolted for the Chargers shortly after Michigan’s season ended, and McCarthy chose to forego his final season of college eligibility and enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Minnesota drafted him with the 10th overall pick, and he was set to compete with Sam Darnold for the starting job.
He threw two touchdowns in the team’s preseason opener, but discovered a torn meniscus the following week. The Vikings opted for surgery, and McCarthy’s rookie season ended. Darnold left in free agency, and the team announced the Michigan product as the team’s starting quarterback earlier this offseason.
Meanwhile, Harbaugh immediately turned the Chargers around and led them to an 11-6 record and a Wild Card berth. The Chargers and Vikings play each other in 2025, and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz first reported that Harbaugh and McCarthy’s first NFL matchup will take place in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football.
Sources: Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy will face off as NFL opponents for the first time in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football, when the #Vikings travel to Los Angeles to take on the #Chargers. pic.twitter.com/4TT9FdiKVl
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report)
He tweeted, “Sources: Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy will face off as NFL opponents for the first time in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football, when the #Vikings travel to Los Angeles to take on the #Chargers.”
McCarthy takes over the No. 13 offense, according to PFSN’s Offense+ metric, and will be throwing to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson. Darnold resurrected his career in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and McCarthy faces a tall order to reach the same level of success.
Los Angeles had the 4th-best defense last year, according to PFSN’s Defense+ metric, and Harbaugh should have a solid base knowledge of his former quarterback. At minimum, this is a prime time matchup of two playoff teams from a season ago, but the Michigan connection makes this a spicy mid-season showdown.