Nearly 18 years ago, as J.J. McCarthy strolled out of Soldier Field after attending his first Chicago Bears game, his father stopped to buy them a program for a keepsake to mark their time together that far outweighed the home team's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The next visit to the old stadium for the McCarthy family will warrant more than a few more souvenirs.

With dozens of relatives and friends in the seats, putting aside their allegiance to the Bears, McCarthy will play in his first NFL game on Monday night for the visitors who just so happened to be the opponent he saw on that first live look at professional football as a 4-year-old kid.

He's not just suiting up, either. The 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, whose debut was delayed by surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his

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