It was a long return road, but he stayed focused and upbeat. Growing in his knowledge of Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's system, soaking up the learning opportunities and attacking the rehab.
"I will take a moment [to appreciate being back in action]," McCarthy said Wednesday. "And I'll take this moment to thank the athletic training staff, thank my coaches, thank all my teammates. Everyone throughout that journey has just been amazing, and I think it did a lot more good for me than bad, and just being out there again is going to be really special, and I can't wait to go do it."
McCarthy said he'll emphasize making the right decisions with the football and "being able to function as one unit, one heartbeat and be all on the same page to execute and follow our football philosophy and have it come to life" during his time on the field.
McCarthy and the offense have been battle-tested by a fast and feisty defense that has a particular ability to obfuscate with versatility and scheme.