Heading into the big NFC North showdown between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings this past Monday, ESPN's Michael Wilbon shared his belief that the Bears were going to "beat the hell" out of the Vikings and Chicago's defense would make J.J. McCarthy "look like a rookie quarterback."
Well, after Minnesota came away with a win on Monday, Wilbon didn't hesitate to own up to being wrong about McCarthy during a recent appearance on ESPN Chicago's "Waddle & Silvy" radio show.
"That kid was so calm. I got nothing but praise for him."
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy makes ESPN's Michael Wilbon eat his words after Week 1
In addition to his appearance on Chicago radio, Wilbon also shared some thoughts about the young Vikings quarterback on his own show, ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption," earlier this week.
"I'll tell you what else impressed me most about J.J. McCarthy was his calm. You throw that pick six, and a lot of guys fall apart at that point, and he didn't. The evidence is that he didn't.
...There was a poise about him. He is clearly well coached and was well-coached in his redshirt year [in the NFL]."
Kudos to Wilbon for admitting he was wrong about McCarthy and how Monday's game would turn out, especially since he is a longtime Bears fan.
It's really just another example of someone realizing what plenty of people have been saying about the young Minnesota quarterback for the last few months. Yes, McCarthy may be lacking in actual in-game experience, but he's also been learning the Vikings' offense for more than a year.
His knowledge of Minnesota's offense was on display on Monday as he looked like a five-year vet making audibles and checks at the line of scrimmage while also making sure all his teammates were lining up in the right spots, and all of this was done in front of a loud stadium full of Bears fans.
A lot of people underestimated McCarthy heading into the 2025 season because of his inexperience. But those same people have quickly learned that he took full advantage of his time on the sidelines last year, and it's already translating to success on the field.