J.J. McCarthy is proud of how Vikings responded in comeback win vs. Bears | NFL on ESPN

ABOUT IT. THAT’S WHAT WE DO. >> Joe: LET’S SEND IT DOWN TO LISA SALTERS. LISA? >> Lisa: J.J. MCCARTHY, YOUR NFL DEBUT HERE IN YOUR HOMETOWN, YOUR FAMILY IN THE STANDS. YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T GOING TO THINK ABOUT ANY OF THAT UNTIL POST GAME. NOW, HERE YOU ARE. WHAT’S THIS FEELING LIKE TO YOU? >> AWE, IT’S SURREAL. YOUR FIRST NFL WIN. YOU KNOW, I CAN’T BE MORE PROUD OF THE GUYS UPFRONT, THE DEFENSE. THEY WERE STRUGGLING THE FIRST HALF FOR US OFFENSIVELY. THEY HAD OUR BACK, YOU KNOW, IN THE KICKING GAME, PUNTS, ALL THAT. I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO MY TEAM RIGHT THERE. >> Lisa: YOU SAID THE GAME WASN’T GOING THE WAY YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED. YOU THREW THAT PICK SIX. THEN IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING CHANGED. WHAT STARTED TO CLICK FOR YOU? >> HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST FIGURING IT OUT, PLAYING ONE PLAY AT A TIME. COACH O’CONNELL GOT US IN GREAT PLAY CALLS, AND WE JUST EXECUTED AT THE END OF THE DAY. SO YEAH, JUST CAME DOWN TO EXECUTION. >> Lisa: WHEN THINGS WEREN’T GOING WELL, WHAT WAS THE ISSUE? >> YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST ALL 11 BEING ON THE SAME PAGE. IT’S GAME ONE. THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO CLEAN UP. BUT I WAS REALLY PROUD OF HOW WE RESPONDED BECAUSE THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GRITTY GAMES IN THE FUTURE. >> Lisa: AGAIN, EVEN WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING WELL, WE COULD SEE YOU ON THE SIDELINES, RALLYING THE TROOPS, TALKING TO YOUR O-LINE, TALKING TO YOUR RECEIVERS. WHAT WERE YOU SAYING TO THEM? >> THAT WE’VE GOT TO BELIEVE, YOU KNOW. THAT’S ONE THING WE CAN DO, CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES. OUR BELIEF IN GOING OUT THERE, EXECUTING THAT NEXT PLAY. YOU KNOW, IT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. WE’VE GOT A GREAT GROUP. EVERYONE WAS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT. >> Lisa: J.J., THIS IS GAME ONE OF WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE A VERY LONG CAREER FOR YOU. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THIS NIGHT? >> GETTING THE WIN. THAT’S WHAT I’LL REMEMBER MOST.

Lisa Salters interviews J.J. McCarthy after leading the Minnesota Vikings a 27-24 comeback win over the Chicago Bears in his first NFL start.

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24 comments

  13. People were dogging him saying he isn’t gonna be good. Yeah, that first half was rough but he just needed to get his legs under him. This kids mentality and grit is something else.

  15. Belief is the biggest word JJ said. If he said "hope" thats begging for things to get better. But if you have a belief system then everyone buys in. This kid is the real deal.

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