In the days since he helped the Minnesota Vikings hand the Detroit Lions an unexpected loss in Week 9, many have noticed the extreme intensity that J.J. McCarthy has worn on his sleeve during his time on the field in a purple and gold jersey this season.
On Wednesday, McCarthy talked about how he essentially has an alter-ego known as "Nine" that has been fueled by the anger generated from not playing in 23 of the first 25 games of his NFL career due to multiple injuries.
During his conversation with local Twin Cities reporters on Thursday, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson shared his thoughts on the alter-ego of his current quarterback while unintentionally shading some from the recent past.
"I mean, I feel like everyone has it. Everyone has to have that ego. I mean, I feel like especially on this team, they have a lot of nice guys on this team and great human beings.
When we go out on that field, we don't need any more nice guys. We need some guys that are dogs and they scrap through anything.
So I feel like he's has that dog mentality and he knows that he got to turn on when he stepped foot on that field."
Justin Jefferson delivers unintentional shot at former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
"We don't need any more nice guys" is easily the most interesting thing Jefferson said when talking about the mentality of McCarthy.
He didn't directly say it, but that specific "nice guys" detail felt like the Minnesota pass-catcher sharing some of the relief he has that he finally gets to play with a quarterback who has the persona of someone who isn't afraid of the moments when the lights are shining the brightest.
Jefferson didn't name any names, but before McCarthy, the All-Pro receiver spent most of his career with the Vikings catching passes from Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold. Both Cousins and Darnold were solid during their tenures with Minnesota, but more often than not, they failed when presented with tasks that required them to overcome big obstacles on a national stage.
This season, in both of the Vikings' games against NFC North rivals, McCarthy helped lead the team to wins in hostile environments, and his demeanor in both contests is a big reason why Jefferson and many others are excited about his future with the franchise.