Vikings QB Goes Viral … for All the Right Reasons
The Minnesota Vikings might just have a swell dude on tap for their quarterback of the future.
Vikings QB Goes Viral … for All the Right Reasons
J.J. McCarthy didn’t play at all in the regular season of his maiden voyage campaign, but that hasn’t stopped fans from daydreaming about him as the future — and admiring his humanitarian spirit.
McCarthy purchased a stack of pizza in Roseville this week at OG ZaZa and delivered them to the homeless.
The moment was caught on video, too:
McCarthy initially requested 1,000 pizzas, but the restaurant’s owner, Joshua Hedquist, said he could handle 13 — not 1,000. So, McCarthy accepted the deal while Hedquist attempted to give him a discount. McCarthy then appeared to overpay his tab and expressed gratitude for Hedquist’s ability to put the menu together on such short notice.
The Vikings quarterback then fulfilled his mission, delivering the pizzas to homeless people.
Folks praised the gesture online, commending McCarthy for the righteous act. @PGA_Joe tweeted, “I’m not sure if this is staged or real but props to businesses and yourself for helping the homeless. This country really needs to help more instead of throwing money away to other countries. Bless You, you made me tear up a bit this morning. You have a follower!”
Hedquist talked about his past a few years ago and why he opened OG ZaZa as a forum for second chances after running into legal woes as a teen: “If you’re a felon, there are so many opportunities you don’t get. I want this place to be a flagship for second chances. This is my incubator to see if this can work.”
Minnesota drafted McCarthy with the 10th overall pick last April, the franchise’s big swing at solving the QB1 riddle once and for all. In August, however, McCarthy tore his meniscus and has rehabbed the knee injury since.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke positively about McCarthy’s injury recovery two weeks ago, indicating the young passer had encountered no major hiccups. “He’s on the field, throwing and training. He looks great. He’s excited. You talk about a kid who’s just obsessed with football and loves being around the game. So, we’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited for this offseason for him. It’s a big offseason. And then, we’ll continue from there,” Adofo-Mensah said.
McCarthy should be ready for the bright lights of QB1 sometime this spring or summer.
You can order OG ZaZa pizza here.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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