J.J. McCarthy’s long-awaited Minnesota Vikings debut began as a nightmare. By the end of the night, though, it turned into a storybook comeback.
After three quarters of frustration, the rookie quarterback delivered a dazzling fourth quarter, accounting for three touchdowns as the Vikings stormed back to beat the Chicago Bears 27-24 on Monday night at Soldier Field.
Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell admitted he had a hunch things would change.
“I told him at halftime, ‘You are going to bring us back to win this game,’” O’Connell said. “I felt poise from the very beginning, even when it wasn’t going our way.”
For much of the night, McCarthy looked unsettled in his first meaningful action since leading Michigan to a national championship in January 2024. Drafted 10th overall by the Vikings and sidelined last season with a knee injury, the 21-year-old quarterback struggled early, capped by a 74-yard interception return for a touchdown by Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright that gave Chicago a 17-6 lead in the third quarter.
But when the fourth quarter arrived, McCarthy flipped the script. He found Justin Jefferson for a 13-yard touchdown, then gave Minnesota its first lead minutes later with a 27-yard scoring strike to Aaron Jones. A 2-point conversion to Adam Thielen put the Vikings ahead 20-17 with 9:46 left.
McCarthy wasn’t done. On a read-option keeper, he sprinted 14 yards up the right sideline to push the lead to 27-17 with just over three minutes remaining.
McCarthy finished 13 of 20 passing for 143 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, plus the late rushing score. It was an emotional night for the rookie, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs and attended his first NFL game at Soldier Field — a Bears-Vikings matchup — 18 years ago.
The Bears didn’t go quietly. Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, capped a late drive with a 1-yard touchdown toss to rookie Rome Odunze to cut the deficit to 27-24 with just over two minutes remaining. But Minnesota’s defense held, sealing the Vikings’ eighth win in their past nine games against Chicago.
Williams completed 21 of 35 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown while adding a 9-yard rushing score in the first quarter. He showed flashes of his Heisman-winning talent but also felt the sting of missed opportunities.
One issue for the Bears was discipline. Chicago committed 12 penalties for 127 yards in coach Ben Johnson’s debut, undermining what had been a strong defensive effort for three quarters.
“The way Coach called the game wasn’t the issue,” Williams said. “We just have to execute better and cut down on mistakes.”
Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard also made history, drilling a 59-yard field goal before halftime — matching the Soldier Field record. He added another earlier field goal as part of Minnesota’s rally.
Vikings (1-0): Host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Bears (0-1): Visit the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions.
For McCarthy and the Vikings, the fourth-quarter magic in Chicago was just the beginning of what they hope will be a new era.
