JJ McCarthy, picked 10th overall in the 2024 draft, hasn’t made much noise on the field yet. After missing his entire rookie season due to a meniscus tear, he’s had just three starts this year heading into Week 9. Not the most active debut, you could say.
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Still, whenever he’s on the field, or even during practice, McCarthy looks locked in and ready to go. He’s often spotted carrying a huge bag, which, if you didn’t know, is packed with equipment for his meditation routine.
McCarthy has always been big on meditation, going back to his college days in Ann Arbor. “Meditation is definitely my anchor,” he once said. Before his college games, McCarthy would often sit underneath the goalposts, eyes closed, headphones in, sitting perfectly still in a meditative state. As for what he listens to, reports say it’s a mix of audio tones called ‘963HZ’ or some Bob Marley.
McCarthy hasn’t found much success on an NFL field yet, but his 27-1 record at Michigan was nothing short of legendary. Two Big Ten Championships, a Rose Bowl win, and a National Championship ring tell the story. Clearly, whatever he was doing worked. And that’s likely why he’s carried his mindfulness habits into the next level of his career.
Back in August of last year, McCarthy was first seen carrying that giant meditation bag during practice. Inside it was a Shiftwave System, which is an advanced nervous system regulation device, according to the brand’s official website.
Sports influencer Tyler Webb recently explained that when you rest on a Shiftwave System, a zero-gravity recliner, 18 transducers vibrate across your body to sync your breathing and heart rate while playing guided meditations or soothing sounds.
The device’s website describes it like this: “Shiftwave delivers intelligent vibration patterns that activate your body’s natural systems of healing and resilience. It’s not a tracker. It’s not a hack. It’s a full-body reset – immersive, effortless, and scientifically engineered.”
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No doubt, it’s a unique setup. And McCarthy isn’t the only one using it. Michael Penix Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons, Lane Johnson of the Eagles, Foye Oluokun of the Jaguars, Boston Scott of the LA Rams, and Tim Brown of the Raiders are also known to use the device.
The price, though, might surprise you… It costs a whopping $10,500. But the demand is still strong, the website says, noting that new orders can take up to four weeks to ship.
