EAGAN, Minn. – Positive energy radiated from J.J. McCarthy.
The Vikings rookie quarterback spoke to Twin Cities media members Friday and shared plenty of smiles despite the heavy-duty metal brace keeping his right leg extended.
"I just want to thank all the fans. All the love and support that I received over these last couple of weeks, few weeks, have been immense and tremendous and deeply appreciated," McCarthy said in his first time addressing media since undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus. "So really appreciate all the love [from] trainers, my fiancée – she's been doing a lot helping me out at home.
"I really appreciate everyone throughout this whole process. It's new for me," he added. "I feel right at home here."
McCarthy, blond hair curling around the bottom of his throwback Vikings baseball cap, noted the medial and radial meniscus tear he suffered dictates six weeks of not bearing weight. It had been announced shortly after the operation that McCarthy would miss the entirety of his first pro season.
McCarthy still is unsure exactly what point during the Vikings Aug. 10 preseason game he suffered the injury. He explained he was descending a staircase at home the next day and felt his knee buckle.
When things felt worse the following morning, he realized the situation might be worse than he thought.
"I was like, 'I should get this checked out,' " McCarthy said. "That's when we decided to get the MRI, and that's when the results showed that medial and radial tear."
Doctors did not know until the operation what the preferred approach would be. After evaluating the injury internally (while McCarthy was under sedation), they decided the full repair with a longer timeline for recovery was the best approach.
He acknowledged initial disappointment ("there was profanity") upon waking up and realizing he'd required a full repair. But the 21-year-old has focused on maintaining an upbeat mindset.
"You know, it's tough … but you know what, you take everything that life throws at you, good or bad, and you find the positive in it," McCarthy said. "I feel like I've been able to gain those deeper connections with my teammates and really take a step back and learn the offense in a more relaxed state of mind. I'm just appreciating every moment.
"It was tough, that initial week of just understanding, you know, 'I'm going to be out for a while.' But I'm not going to sit here and sulk and think, 'Woe is me' and worry about the past," he later added. "I'm just going to focus on how I can better in other ways in my life. And that's what I've been doing every single day, and I'm seeing a lot of growth in a lot of different areas. I'm just attacking it each day, and that's what I'm worried about."
Just three days after suffering the injury, McCarthy delivered fans a message via social media:
The Latin phrase amor fati refers to the Stoic mindset of making the best out of any situation, which McCarthy explained he'd learned from guest speaker Becky Schmooke during an earlier Rookie Success meeting.
"I'm a huge believer in 'life happens for you, not to you. And you know, that's pretty much what 'amor fati' means," McCarthy said. "That kind of stuck with me, just knowing that I could apply that in every aspect of my life, especially throughout my football career."
In addition to the attitude McCarthy adopted, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold told media this week that the rookie also has been spending lots of time reading.
McCarthy confirmed and added it's usually multiple books at a time, which he good-naturedly credited to living with ADHD. Currently, he's reading The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and Stay Sane In An Insane World by Greg Harden.
"Those are just all books that really kind of helped me throughout this process of trying to strengthen this," McCarthy said, gesturing to his knee. "And I appreciate Sam saying that, because he's been so great throughout this whole process. Just always checking in, always making sure I'm good and helping me out throughout the way."
McCarthy said he's excited to watch Darnold and the entire Vikings team open their season this weekend against the Giants.
"I've watched [Sam] since I was just picking up football, I think, in middle school? So he's old," McCarthy joked about the 27-year-old Darnold. "I'm so excited because the guy works so hard. He's so talented. He's had such an amazing journey this far into his career, and I feel like it's just about to start because he's done a lot of good things, put it on tape this camp, and I can't wait for him to show the world.
"I'm excited to see what the future holds," he added. "Because there's something special in this building brewing, and believe [Head] Coach [Kevin] O'Connell when he says it, because I'm excited to see those boys get after 'em on Sunday."
O'Connell has spoken highly of McCarthy's approach to not only physical recovery but also his mental approach to adversity.
"The big thing for me is just making sure he knows that I am available to him throughout this time as if he was our starter, our No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback, whatever it would have ended up being, because the mindset towards the long-term growth and the goals that we have for him, those are all still in play, nothing's changed from that standpoint other than – like we've had to talk about here – we don't get to see it in the immediate right now," O'Connell said. "I just love his attitude. I love the way he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He's frustrated that it happened, but at the same time he's immediately going to do what he's always done since he got here laser-focused on 'what I can control,' and I think that will serve him really well throughout his career because that's what playing quarterback in this league is all about."
McCarthy is thankful for Minnesota's coaching staff, trainers and his new teammates, and he's focused on bonding with them off the field while rehabbing.
During a recent hibachi dinner hosted by outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, McCarthy was encouraged by a conversation with tackle David Quessenberry, who has overcome injuries and a prolonged cancer battle to now be entering his 12th NFL season.
"He broke his foot his rookie year, and a vet came up to him and [told him], 'This is going to be your redshirt year, so enjoy it.' And that's what he (Quessenberry) told me," McCarthy recounted. "So I'm really just focusing on just making sure I learn so much mentally that when I go out there, it's going to take care of itself."
In the meantime, though, you'll catch him rolling down the highway – at a speedy 6 miles per hour – on his electric scooter, spreading positivity along the way.
Just don't get too close.
Asked if O'Connell's anecdote about driving the scooter into a wall was true, McCarthy offered a sheepish grin.
"It is true. I feel like it got a little bit blown out of proportion, though," he laughed. "I was just backing up, I put it in reverse there, and I just rammed right into his door frame. A little paint chip, but nothing serious.
"We're thinking about clown horns and stuff," he added. "We'll see."
