If you are a fan of American football, you might have heard of J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy. J.J. McCarthy is a young and talented quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, while Mike McCarthy is a veteran and successful head coach for the Dallas Cowboys. But are they related by blood or by name only? This article will explore the truth behind the rumor that has been circulating among some fans and media outlets.
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Who is J.J. McCarthy?
J.J. McCarthy is a 20-year-old college football player who was born on January 20, 2003, in La Grange Park, Illinois. He attended Nazareth Academy for high school, where he was a four-star recruit and one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. He transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior year, after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled his high school season in Illinois.
McCarthy committed to play for the University of Michigan in May 2019, choosing the Wolverines over 33 other offers from schools like LSU, Ohio State, Texas, and Wisconsin. He made his Michigan debut in 2021, appearing in 11 games as a backup to Cade McNamara. He completed 34 of 59 passes for 516 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions.
In 2022, McCarthy became Michigan’s starting quarterback in the second week of the season, after impressing head coach Jim Harbaugh with his performance against Hawaii. He completed 11 of 12 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns in that game, leading the Wolverines to a 42-0 halftime lead. Harbaugh announced that McCarthy would be the starter moving forward, saying “He’s the starter on merit.”
McCarthy had a stellar season in 2022, leading Michigan to a 12-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He passed for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions, with a 79.1 QBR rating. He also rushed for 198 yards and four touchdowns. He was named second-team All-Big Ten and was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the best quarterback in college football.
McCarthy’s best game of the season came against Ohio State, Michigan’s archrival, on November 26. He passed for 263 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another score, as the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 45-23 for the first time since 2011. He also had a career-high 343 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU, but Michigan lost 51-45 in overtime.
McCarthy is considered one of the best prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft, if he decides to declare after his junior year. He has drawn comparisons to Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson for his arm strength, accuracy, mobility, and leadership.
Who is Mike McCarthy?
Mike McCarthy is a 59-year-old professional football coach who was born on November 10, 1963, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a blue-collar Irish-Catholic family of five children. His father Joe was a firefighter and a police officer who also owned a bar called Joe McCarthy’s Bar and Grill. His mother Ellen was a secretary who also worked in restaurants and for the Peace & Justice Center.
McCarthy played football at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona and Baker University in Kansas as a tight end. He graduated from Baker in 1987 with a degree in business administration. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State University in Kansas and then at the University of Pittsburgh.
McCarthy entered the NFL as an offensive quality control coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. He worked his way up to become the quarterbacks coach under Marty Schottenheimer from 1995 to 1998. He coached quarterbacks like Joe Montana, Steve Bono, Elvis Grbac, and Rich Gannon.
In 1999, McCarthy joined the Green Bay Packers as their quarterbacks coach under Ray Rhodes. He coached Brett Favre for one season before moving on to become the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints from 2000 to 2004 under Jim Haslett. He helped develop Aaron Brooks into a Pro Bowl quarterback and led an offense that ranked among the top ten in scoring and yardage.
In 2005, McCarthy became the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers under Mike Nolan. He worked with rookie quarterback Alex Smith, who struggled with injuries and inconsistency. The 49ers offense ranked last in scoring and yardage that year.
In 2006, McCarthy returned to Green Bay as their head coach, replacing Mike Sherman. He inherited Favre as his quarterback again and led the Packers to an 8-8 record in his first season. In his second season, he guided the Packers to a 13-3 record and an NFC Championship appearance, where they lost to the New York Giants in overtime.
In 2008, McCarthy drafted Aaron Rodgers as Favre’s successor and helped him develop into one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. He led the Packers to nine playoff appearances, six NFC North titles, four NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl title in 2010, when the Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. McCarthy was named the Maxwell Football Club NFL Coach of the Year in 2011.
McCarthy’s tenure in Green Bay ended in 2018, after a 4-7-1 start to the season. He was fired by general manager Brian Gutekunst on December 2, 2018, after a 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He finished his career in Green Bay with a regular season record of 125-77-2 and a postseason record of 10-8. He is second to Curly Lambeau in all-time wins as the Packers head coach.
In 2020, McCarthy was hired as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, replacing Jason Garrett. He inherited Dak Prescott as his quarterback and a talented offense that featured Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb. However, Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury in week five, and the Cowboys finished with a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs.
In 2021, McCarthy led the Cowboys to a 12-5 record and an NFC East title, with Prescott returning to form and leading the league in passing yards. The Cowboys offense ranked first in scoring and yardage, while their defense improved under coordinator Dan Quinn. McCarthy also returned to calling plays for the first time since 2014, after parting ways with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
McCarthy’s Cowboys faced the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of the playoffs on January 16, 2023. The game was a rematch of their classic rivalry from the 1990s, when they met four times in the NFC Championship game. The Cowboys lost 23-17, after a controversial final play that saw Prescott run out of time while trying to spike the ball.
McCarthy has an overall regular season record of 155-97-2 and a postseason record of 11-10 as an NFL head coach. He is one of only five coaches (Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, Andy Reid, and Bill Belichick) to lead one franchise to eight straight playoff appearances. He is also one of only four coaches (Vince Lombardi, Jimmy Johnson, and Belichick) to win a Super Bowl with one team and coach another team.
Are J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy Related?
The short answer is no. J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy are not related by blood or by marriage. They share a common surname that is very popular among Irish-Americans, but they have no known family ties or connections.
According to Wikipedia, J.J. McCarthy’s parents are Megan McCarthy and Jim McCarthy. He has three sisters (Colleen, Ellen, and Kellie) and a younger brother (Joseph III) who passed away in 2015. His grandparents are James and Mary McCarthy on his father’s side and John and Patricia O’Brien on his mother’s side.
According to IMDb, Mike McCarthy’s parents are Ellen McCarthy and Joe McCarthy. He has three sisters (Colleen, Ellen, and Kellie) and a younger brother (Joseph III) who is still alive. His grandparents are John and Mary McCarthy on his father’s side and Michael and Catherine O’Connor on his mother’s side.
As you can see, J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy have some similarities in their family names, such as having sisters named Colleen and Ellen, but they also have some differences, such as having different middle names (James vs John), different maternal grandparents’ names (O’Brien vs O’Connor), and different statuses of their younger brothers (deceased vs alive).
Therefore, there is no evidence that J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy are related in any way. They are simply two individuals who happen to have the same last name and a passion for football.
Conclusion
J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy are two prominent figures in American football who have achieved success at different levels of the game. J.J. McCarthy is a rising star quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines who has a bright future ahead of him in college football and possibly the NFL. Mike McCarthy is an experienced head coach for the Dallas Cowboys who has won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers and has coached some of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
However, despite their common surname and their involvement in football, J.J. McCarthy and Mike McCarthy are not related by blood or by marriage. They have no known family ties or connections that link them together. They are simply two individuals who share a name that is very common among Irish-Americans.
