J.J. McCarthy
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Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, shared pictures of their son after his recent birth
The past few days have been quite a whirlwind for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. In the first start of his NFL career on Monday night, McCarthy led a stunning fourth-quarter comeback against the Chicago Bears, with the Vikings eventually picking up 27-24 victory in their season-opener.
Off the field, McCarthy and his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, have been awaiting the birth of their first child. On Friday, the couple announced the birth of their son, Rome Micah McCarthy, in a post on Instagram. The post featured a handful of pictures of the couple’s newborn, which quickly caught the attention of football fans everywhere.
J.J. McCarthy, Katya Kuropas Share Photos of Their Son
McCarthy enjoyed a standout career in college with the Michigan Wolverines, leading them to a National Championship in 2023. That helped him get selected by the Vikings with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, as they clearly intended on having him become their quarterback of the future.
Those plans became a bit murky when McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee before the start of his rookie season, resulting in him missing the entire campaign. Beyond that, McCarthy’s fill-in under center, Sam Darnold, enjoyed a career year, leading Minnesota to 14 wins and a spot in the playoffs. After flaming out in the wild-card round, though, Darnold departed for the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, opening the door for McCarthy.
It wasn’t always pretty, but McCarthy got his first NFL win against the Bears in Week 1. Just a couple of days later, he left the team to be by Kuropas’ side as she gave birth to their son. Now, in addition to being an NFL quarterback, McCarthy is also a father, with the couple sharing photos of their new son in a post on Instagram.
“Welcome to the world Rome Micah McCarthy,” the post read. “The sweetest, most perfect gift from God!! We are so unbelievably blessed to be your parents. 8.7lbs, 21in.”
J.J. McCarthy, Vikings Looking to Earn Second Win in Week 2
J.J. McCarthy
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 08: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after defeating the Chicago Bears 27-24 at Soldier Field on September 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Vikings fans everywhere are thrilled for this huge off-field development for McCarthy, and they will be even more pleased to hear that he is expected to take the field for the team in Week 2. As if things couldn’t get more hectic for McCarthy, he will attempt to lead Minnesota to victory in its second straight primetime game to begin the new season.
While the Vikings beat the Bears, they certainly didn’t play a complete game, and there are several issues that flared up that the team will be looking to correct throughout the week. Their opponent in Week 2 is the Atlanta Falcons, who will be looking to earn their first victory of the year after coming up just short against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Kickoff for this Sunday Night Football clash is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.