Total Pro Sports
When the Minnesota Vikings selected quarterback JJ McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, fans expected talent. What they didn’t expect was the dramatic transformation, both physically and mentally, that would unfold in just one year.
A viral before-and-after image, posted by NFL insider Dov Kleiman, captured the shift in stunning detail. The top half of the image shows a reserved, straight-faced McCarthy during his rookie headshot. Below that? A beaming, visibly more confident young man, carrying himself like someone who knows he belongs. The photo didn’t just spark conversation, it lit up the smiling mystery.
Fans had plenty to say once the side-by-side went public.
Wild: Vikings standout QB JJ McCarthy looks like an entirely different person after spending a year in Minnesota 😳😬 pic.twitter.com/KXvS9boSos
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 27, 2025
“Hahaha. Yeah. He looks super soft,” one fan joked.
Hahaha. Yeah. He looks super soft.
— Drew from PHILLY (@Philly_DEViL) June 27, 2025
Another said, “The shape of his head changed.”
The shape of his head changed
— Isaac Abadi (@IsaacA08) June 27, 2025
While someone else added, “Dude’s hair grew, MAYBE lost a little weight, and smiled…”
Dudes hair grew, MAYBE lost a little weight, and smiled….😭
— Movie Media (@MovieMediaX) June 27, 2025
Another fan simply wrote, “Looks like a new Snapchat filter.”
Looks like a new Snapchat filter
— Nicky Chickles (@N_Chickles) June 27, 2025
Beneath the memes and light-hearted jabs lies a more serious development: McCarthy’s growth has gone far beyond looks. After tearing his meniscus in his very first preseason game last August, McCarthy spent the entire 2024 season rehabbing and learning from the sidelines. Now, ten months later, insiders say the quarterback has fully bought into the Vikings system and built strong relationships with teammates and coaches.
According to team sources and offseason reports, McCarthy has shown marked improvement in command and confidence. Analysts have noticed, too. Pro Football Focus’ John Kosko projected two vastly different outcomes for McCarthy’s upcoming season, a best-case scenario similar to Joe Burrow and a floor resembling Sam Darnold’s career before his 2024 resurgence.
“McCarthy wasn’t asked to carry the national-championship Michigan team, but when he needed to, he delivered,” Kosko noted. “His success rate under pressure and against the blitz ranked third in the class.”
With a full offseason behind him, the Vikings are giving JJ McCarthy the keys. A strong defense, solid O-line, and reliable weapons offer support, but it’s on him to take flight. From quiet rookie to rising star, McCarthy’s transformation is clear. Whether it leads to wins remains to be seen, but all eyes in Minnesota will be on him.
