J.J. McCarthy’s first career TD turns into a pick-six Packers fans loved

Green Bay Packers fans are still on cloud nine from their blowout win over the Detroit Lions in Week 1 but they continued to be entertained during Monday Night Football. The first Monday night match-up of the season pitted the Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears with the bigger storyline being that it was J.J. McCarthy's first start at quarterback for the Vikings.

McCarthy was selected in the first round by the Vikings last year but missed his entire rookie season due to suffering an injury in preseason. That being said, he very much looked like a true rookie in his first-ever NFL start. You know things are going poorly when your first-ever NFL touchdown pass goes to a member of the opposing team.

Down 10-6 in the third quarter, McCarthy dropped back to pass on a 3rd-and-10 and completed a pass to Nahshon Wright. The problem there is that Wright plays cornerback for the Bears and took that pigskin all the way to the house for a pick-six. McCarthy's first touchdown pass was a pick-six for the other team. Brutal for the Vikings, but hilarious for the Packers and their fanbase.

J.J. McCarthy’s welcome-to-the-NFL moment was a pick-six Packers enjoyed

No one really knew what to expect from McCarthy in his first NFL season because we didn't see him do anything during his rookie season due to the injury. He won a National Championship at Michigan before entering the draft in 2024 but the NFL isn't college football and he's learning that the hard way.

McCarthy could still very much figure things out for the Vikings and unfortunately for Green Bay, the two teams don't meet until Week 11. The second-year quarterback out of Michigan could very well have turned his season around by then but after his debut in those hideous purple uniforms, it's a little harder to picture that happening.

Let's hope McCarthy continues to provide some laughs for Packers fans.