Overview

• Coach Kevin O’Connell and The Athletic’s Alec Lewis said McCarthy was at a local hospital Thursday with his fiancée awaiting their baby boy.
• In his first NFL start, he led Minnesota from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Bears 27-24 at Soldier Field.
• He became the first player to record three fourth-quarter touchdowns in an NFL debut and finished 13-of-20 for 143 yards with two passing TDs, one interception, and a rushing score.
• The NFL named him NFC Offensive Player of the Week, drawing some social media backlash over the selection.
• Despite wearing an “NFL Premiere 2025” patch, he is not eligible for Offensive Rookie of the Year; he is a Comeback Player of the Year candidate, with an ESPN executive poll favoring him and BetMGM lengthening his CPOY odds to +1200 after Week 1.