Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is poised to become the face of the franchise as the expected starter for the 2025 season.
It will be a considerable change for McCarthy, who has only played in one preseason game before he missed the rest of the 2024 season with a meniscus injury.
However, there are even bigger changes on the horizon for the 22-year-old.
In a shared post on Instagram, McCarthy and his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, announced they are expecting a baby boy in September — just in time for football season.
“The best surprises come when you least expect them. Our sweet baby boy is arriving in September and we couldn’t be happier,” the message reads.
The two high school sweethearts got engaged in January 2024 after dating for five years. They stayed together when McCarthy left Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, Ill., for Florida prep football powerhouse IMG Academy during the pandemic. They later reunited at Michigan.
McCarthy proposed shortly after winning a national championship with the Wolverines. The couple moved to Sunfish Lake, Minn., after McCarthy was selected 10th overall by the Vikings.
After McCarthy proposed, he wrote a heartfelt message to Kuropas on behalf of himself and their dog, Marley, on Kuropas’ 21st birthday last year.
“Happy 21st to the woman of my dreams and my rock! Unconditionally grateful for the human you are and the impact you have had on me these past 5+ years,” McCarthy wrote. “Our partnership is something I will cherish for the rest of my life because of how it enhances our ability to serve our mission in the world. Marley and I love you unconditionally!”