Did JJ McCarthy Make a Whoopsie or Was that a Garden Variety F-Bomb on Television?
If fairness, JJ McCarthy was giving a pseudo victory speech to Tom Brady — himself a Michigan passer who went on to do alright in the NFL — with the “LFG” trophy in his arms. The initialism meant the swear word was there for the taking.
Even still, one does perk up when the specific word leaves the passer’s mouth.
Brady was chatting with McCarthy after the game (during the game, the former Patriot and Buccaneer was very complimentary). Minnesota has just pulled off the tremendous upset at Ford Field over the Lions to climb up to 4-4, keeping the season alive in the process. An exclamation point arrived afterwards when Minnesota’s young QB1 let the emotion shine through in no uncertain terms.
JJ McCarthy & The F-Bomb with Tom Brady
Start off with what the statistics say.
McCarthy finished his day having gone 14/25 for just 143 passing yards. The 56% completion rate is an eyesore and the yardage quite modest. More promising is that he passed for 2 touchdowns while running for another. The interception was discouraging, but the kid put points on the board. Even better, he appeared poised and in control of the game while doing so.
Now, let’s dig into the question asked in the title: did JJ McCarthy cross the line? The answer appears to be a definitive no.
After all, the game broadcast leans into the clip, layering it into the brief interview before the discussion between Brady and McCarthy emerges. There’s then a doubling down from the broadcast by offering an audio snippet of Brady venturing into the specific word, too. And, of course, there’s the basic reality of the NFL’s GOAT handing out the LFG Player of the Game award, with the “F” portion of things representing a various obvious (albeit somewhat taboo) portion of vocabulary.
Before getting to the emphatic moment, JJ McCarthy describes the “blood, sweat, and tears” he has invested in Michigan, the state where he played his college ball.
There was then a turn toward McCarthy’s mindset for the Week 9 game: “It was all about just focusing on the little things. Focusing on the things I can control.” Parroting some of Kevin O’Connell’s main points, McCarthy goes on to highlight the importance of managing the huddle, the snap, his footwork, and so on. He then gave ample praise to Jalen Nailor, the offensive line, and O’Connell for that game-winning pass to the WR3.
Throughout the back and forth, JJ McCarthy was poised and professional. He could have passed for a politician.
Tom Brady then closes off the conversation while McCarthy appears to land the plane in a controlled manner. “Thank you so much, Tom, appreciate it,” McCarthy says.
He then holds up the award and cuts loose: “Let’s f$%$^ng go!” He steps toward the camera for some added emphasis alongside his elevated volume.
If the toddlers were watching, then maybe some Vikings fans weren’t too pleased. Most, however, would likely welcome the expressive outburst from a JJ McCarthy who just overcame the best team in the NFC North. Drafting a quarterback at No. 10 is about precisely what occurred in Week 9: a tough road win against a foremost rival. Seeing some revved up emotion shine through is allowed.
Next up for the 22-year-old passer is a home game versus Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Improving upon his impressive effort in Michigan will be key to seeing the Vikings climb up to 5-4.
