Vikings' J.J. McCarthy Posts Motivational Quote, Photo After Season-Ending Injury

J.J. McCarthy is turning to the Roman Empire for motivation after undergoing season-ending surgery before he even took the field for a regular-season game as a rookie.

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback took to Instagram Wednesday and posted a photograph of himself with a quote attributed to Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius that said, "A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it."

The post comes after Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced McCarthy underwent surgery for his torn meniscus on Wednesday and will be out for the entire upcoming season.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted there is belief in Minnesota the signal-caller "will come back stronger than ever" even though it was revealed that a full-repair surgery was necessary for the meniscus tear.

Minnesota selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft after he led the Michigan Wolverines to the College Football Playoff national championship. It surely saw him as the franchise quarterback of the present and the future, especially since Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, they only got to see what McCarthy could do in the team's first preseason game when he went 11-of-17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception during a 24-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

It was an impressive performance and seemed to be something to build on with the regular season approaching, but now he will have to focus on rehab and recovery.

As for Minnesota, it will turn toward veteran Sam Darnold in the meantime.

There will still be playoff expectations, although injuries are becoming a significant concern. In addition to McCarthy, tight end T.J. Hockenson is expected to miss the start of the season. What's more, wide receiver Jordan Addison was carted off the field during Wednesday's practice, although ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the ankle injury is not expected to be serious.

The Vikings are scheduled to start the regular season on Sept. 8 against the New York Giants.