Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The circumstances surrounding J.J. McCarthy and his journey through the NFL to this point make it easy to forget an important part of his story: The 22-year-old quarterback has rarely lost.
It only happened to McCarthy twice as a starter in high school at Nazareth Academy, then once as a starter in college at the University of Michigan. His ability to respond throughout his rise up the ranks revealed an "It Factor" that played a role in the Vikings taking him with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That will be put to the test amid McCarthy's latest bout with adversity. Not only will whatever happens next define the Vikings in the present, but, for better or worse, it will help define McCarthy in the future.
Though the sample size is still too small to make any sweeping declarations, his shortcomings have left something to be desired. He had to flip a switch late to secure a comeback win over the Chicago Bears, then was plainly ineffective in a blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
The conversation might feel different if he had been able to get right back on the horse a month and a half ago. Instead, he suffered a high ankle sprain, which forced him to miss every game since.
As a result, McCarthy's performance in primetime has lingered, making his return for the Vikings against the Detroit Lions this past weekend feel like it carried a lot of weight.
The outcome of the game shouldn't necessarily be a referendum on his development. His response in the aggregate should be judged accordingly, however, as it will go a long way in determining if he has what it takes to be a face of the franchise.
Those who know McCarthy best are confident he will bounce back. That's what he's always done.
The first time McCarthy truly got punched in the mouth as a starter came back when he was a high school sophomore. He was living up to all the hype that came with being a highly coveted recruit in the inner suburbs of Chicago when Nazareth Academy got beat handily in a 34-13 loss to Marist.
It was a rough outing for McCarthy as he finished with a pedestrian stat line, completing 4 of 12 passes for 68 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked a few times for good measure.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press, former Nazareth Academy linebacker Marcus Griffin went down memory lane, noting that he was impressed with how McCarthy handled himself in the immediate aftermath of that loss.
"He's a guy who doesn't shy away from adversity," Griffin said. "He handled it like a man, even when he was a kid."
As a captain at the time, Griffin remembers thinking he might have to console McCarthy, who was a year younger than him. Instead, McCarthy rallied the troops on his own, showcasing some of the leadership qualities that have since become synonymous with him.
"He was all about, 'What do we need to do to win this game?'" Nazareth Academy head coach Tim Racki said. "He never gave a (expletive) about his stats or anything like that."
Nazareth Academy didn't lose another game the rest of the way, winning a state championship with a 31-10 over St. Charles North. After suffering a broken thumb in the lead-up to that game, McCarthy went out and completed 15 of 24 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown.
The pressure that came with being a defending state champion momentarily seemed to get to McCarthy when he was a high school junior. He struggled mightily while Nazareth Academy suffered a 32-21 loss to Cardinal Ritter in its opener.
That loss ended up counting as a win for Nazareth Academy, as it was later ruled that Cardinal Ritter had an ineligible player participating in the game. That didn't stop McCarthy from using it as fuel to make sure he got back on track.
In the end, Nazareth Academy was undefeated before suffering a 37-13 loss to Mount Carmel with the state championship on the line. It was another rough outing for McCarthy as he only completed 8 of 25 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
"We got here and ended this close," McCarthy said at the time. "Now we've got 365 days to get to this spot, and it will be a different outcome."
It might have been had the pandemic not shut down sports in the area. To keep playing, McCarthy transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he ended up going undefeated as a high school senior.
"I remember after that loss, him telling everybody that he couldn't wait to get back at it," Griffin said. "If there wasn't ever a pandemic, I have no doubt in my mind that he would've bounced back and brought home another state championship."
The picture of McCarthy standing on the field watching the celebration went viral on social media when he was a college sophomore. The reality was slowly starting to set in after Michigan suffered a 51-45 loss to TCU in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
He wanted to sit with the pain after another setback.
Never mind that McCarthy had completed 20 of 34 passes for 343 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also turned the game upside down by throwing a pair of interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.
That was enough for him to make a guarantee.
"We'll be back," McCarthy said at the time. "I promise that."
That statement ignited something in McCarthy as he made getting back to the College Football Playoff his sole focus.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press last week, former Michigan receiver Tyler Morris said everybody within the program couldn't help but believe in themselves after that because of how much McCarthy believed in himself.
"We knew what we were trying to do," Morris said. "I think getting so close and coming up short turned it up a little bit more. That was especially true for him. You could feel a difference as soon as it happened."
Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise that Michigan returned as a freight train with McCarthy leading the charge. He was the lifeblood of the program when he was a college junior, bringing a sense of swagger every time he stepped on the field. The magical run ended with undefeated Michigan earning a 34-13 win over Washington to win the national championship.
"He had a mindset with everything that we did of where he wanted us to go," Morris said. "He wanted to win a national championship. We were able to do that largely because of the work he put in. He pulled everybody along with him."
There was a fearlessness from McCarthy along the way that was noticeable to his teammates.
"I can't think of a time where I saw a look on his face and he seemed like he was worried about what was going on," Morris said. "He never shows any of that. He's very consistent in his attitude. He's going to go out and perform how he expects to, and he's going to carry himself the same way every time."
It was a similar sentiment from former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh when asked about McCarthy earlier this year.
"He's an elite competitor," Harbaugh said. "There's nothing he's afraid of."
After authoring a storybook beginning with a 27-24 win over the Bears in his NFL debut, McCarthy was humbled in a 22-6 loss to the Falcons that has admittedly left a bad taste in his mouth. He looked lost at times in the game, completing 11 of 21 for 158 yards with no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.
"It starts with me," McCarthy said at the time. "I've got to play better."
The fundamentals and techniques that were drilled into McCarthy's head since he arrived seemed to disappear against the Bears and Falcons. He held on to the ball for far too long in the pocket. He also wasn't nearly as accurate as he needed to be when he let it rip.
There has been a concerted effort from the Vikings to rebuild some of McCarthy's mechanics while he recovered from a high ankle sprain. It has left him in a good headspace as he prepares to make his return.
"It's a little bit of a reset," McCarthy said. "Just coming from a different perspective."
The good news for the Vikings is it doesn't seem like McCarthy has been shaken by his struggles. He was back as a full participant in practice last week, commanding the huddle as if he had never left.
"It's been great," receiver Justin Jefferson said. "I feel like he has the confidence to go out there and do what we expect him to do."
That feeling has resonated across the offense.
"He brings juice, and it's a lot of fun having him out here," tight end T.J. Hockenson said. "We're excited to have him back."
There will likely be some growing pains for McCarthy as he continues to get comfortable. That's OK. It's all part of the process.
"Is it going to be perfect?" head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "No. It doesn't have to be. It just needs to be clear and obvious to me that he's got a good grasp on doing his job."
The next test for McCarthy is seeing if he can respond to a loss in the NFL the same way he has responded to the losses at every other level.