“McDarthy”: NFL Fans React As Vikings Rookie QB JJ McCarthy Resembles Anakin Skywalker In Viral Photo

Suresh Menon | 09/01/2025
JJ McCarthy

Despite not being the main player in the Vikings’ offensive play this season, JJ McCarthy has managed to remain in the spotlight due to his style statement. The rookie’s tousled hair, on top of his chiseled facial structure, has made fans notice the eerie similarity between him and the Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker.

JJ’s journey to internet virality started on the sidelines of the most recent game. The Lions dominated the match throughout, and by the final minutes, McCarthy had had enough and couldn’t hide his frustration.

Coincidentally, the NFL broadcasting team decided to zoom in on McCarthy’s intense face. This snippet was enough for fans, who screengrabbed the frame and started to notice the similarities between the QB and the Star Wars character.

After expressing their shock at the uncanny resemblance between McCarthy and the movie character, netizens had a field day creating puns. From mixing Darth Vader and McCarthy to form ‘McDarthy’ to calling the rookie ‘the chosen one,’ they didn’t hold back their creative juices.

For a few fans, however, JJ McCarthy didn’t resemble Anakin Skywalker. From Steve [Stranger Things] to Knives Out star Michael Shannon, a select group of netizens noticed JJ resembling these celebrities instead of the character played by Hayden Christensen.

While the rookie playmaker will be delighted with his newfound social media popularity, his future with the Vikings remains uncertain, however. If rumors are to be believed, the purple and gold team may look to move on from the rookie after Sam Darnold’s breakout season. Safe to say, JJ McCarthy will have an intriguing summer ahead!

Post Edited By: Karthik Raman
JJ McCarthy Minnesota Vikings Sam Darnold

About the author

Suresh Menon

Suresh Menon is an NFL writer at The SportsRush with over 700 articles to his name. Early in his childhood, Suresh grew up admiring the famed BBC of Juventus making the Italian club his favorite. His love for soccer however soon translated to American football when he came across a Super Bowl performance from his Favourite Bruno Mars. Tom Brady’s performance in the finals left an imprint on him and since then, he has been a die hard Brady fan. Thus his love for the sport combined with his flair for communication is the reason why he decided to pursue sports journalism at The SportsRush. Beyond football, in his free time, he is a podcast host and likes spending time solving the Rubik’s cube.

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