The lore that young quarterback J.J. McCarthy already has about him has been built up through tales from his life that perfectly encapsulate the competitor he is at his core.

There was the time at Nazareth Academy when he led his teammates to an Illinois state championship despite playing with a broken thumb in his throwing hand. Then the time at Michigan when he chose not to wear his signature eye black in the rivalry game against Ohio State because he wanted head coach Ryan Day to see his face when he beat him.

Now there’s another story to add to the list after McCarthy authored an impressive comeback in his NFL debut.

Never mind that he struggled for prolonged stretches on Monday night at Solider Field. He stepped up when his teammates needed him most, leading the Vikings to a dramat

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