“He Hasn’t Won Anything Yet”: Fans Troll Jim Harbaugh For Making Big Claims On JJ McCarthy After Rose Bowl Win

Jim Harbaugh had quite the season with the Wolverines who punched their ticket to the National Championship in a showdown at the Rose Bowl Stadium. In a stunning 27-20 win, his team took down the Alabama Crimson Tide in a controversy-laden CFP season. Riding this wave of victory, Harbaugh had one man to praise- JJ McCarthy.

Wolverines, who will appear for their school’s first national title since 1997, had Harbaugh making bold claims at this point. Fresh off the euphoria, Harbaugh didn’t hold back, declaring,

“I think the last quarterback to win an overtime against Alabama was none other than Tom Brady.”

He still had more to add, calling McCarthy the greatest quarterback in Michigan’s college football history.

“This is the greatest quarterback in University of Michigan football, college football history.”

As he lit the torch for a colossal debate, drawing comparisons between McCarthy and Tom Brady, fans were quick to jump in with their disagreements. A fan who was disappointed with the claims early on in JJ’s career made sure to fire shots at Harbaugh

A fan account called out Jim, mentioning a play from the game:

Yes, McCarthy’s offense did struggle in the first half, but they turned it around in the second half, something Tom Brady has been famous for. Their performance in the latter part of the game proved pivotal, ultimately securing the Wolverines a spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game—a historic achievement for the program.

Some harsh disagreement came from a fan, who appeared to be embittered by deep praises for McCarthy:

A straight shooter called out Harbaugh with the most classic comment possible.

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While the Wolverine head coach’s audacious comparison didn’t go unnoticed, his assertion that McCarthy still has a long way to go got lost in the conversation. The NFL Goat’s college career at Michigan saw him compile a 20–5 record as the starting quarterback over two seasons. On the other hand, McCarthy boasts an impressive .963 winning percentage during his tenure as Michigan’s starting signal-caller, amassing a stellar 26–1 record over three seasons.

He has completed 73.2 percent of his passes for 2,851 yards and 22 touchdowns against four interceptions in 14 games, in addition to rushing for 171 yards and three scores. Should Michigan’s offensive leader secure a victory against No. 2 Washington, he will have the opportunity to achieve an accolade that eluded Brady during his time at Ann Arbor—being the starting quarterback of a national championship-winning team.

JJ McCarthy: ‘An Amalgamation of Quarterbacks’

JJ McCarthy certainly delivered impressive numbers on the field, throwing for 221 yards and scoring three touchdowns. He earned the Offensive Player of the Game before Harbaugh had the chance to call him the best QB in Michigan’s history. More accolades for McCarthy came in as Jim went on to say, “I know we talk about an amalgamation of quarterbacks, he is that guy.”

Ever since Harbaugh set foot in Michigan in 2015, post his NFL rollercoaster with the San Francisco 49ers, he had a clear mission to bring Michigan back to the top. Michigan has now become the sixth consecutive No. 1 seed to victory in the CFP semifinals, over the past decade.

Near to the sweet end, Harbaugh’s efforts that started coming to fruition in 2021 deserve applause. However, McCarthy’s top spot in Michigan’s history, and one above Tom Brady, is a story still in the making. Big Blue fans might be reluctant to concede with Harbaugh’s comparison now, but they likely won’t argue if he is able to lead the Wolverines to a National title.