What separates Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy’s pregame routine from other football quarterbacks is one thing. While most players are either throwing the football or reviewing their plays, the former Michigan quarterback is seated, cross-legged and eyes closed while he is deep in meditation.
This isn’t a new thing for McCarthy, who has continued this practice for the duration of his collegiate career, taking 10 minutes before every game to meditate. In fact, on non-game days, he would set aside 30 to 40 minutes most mornings to practice mindfulness techniques.
The quarterback found meditation while finishing up his senior year at IMG Academy in Florida. He was depressed and experiencing a significant disconnection with who he was. This period of mental health issues forced him to look outside the box to improve his mental condition.
“I just kept stemming further and further away from myself and my true nature, and I feel like I was in a deep rut for about a month or two and I was like, something has got to change. This is not who I am,” McCarthy told Michigan Football in 2023.
“I started looking up different practices to help improve mental health, and meditation was the first one that kept popping up. I just gave it a try, and then the rest was history,” he further elaborated.
McCarthy’s commitment to psychological training was probably a major factor in Michigan’s historic 2023 campaign as they finished the season undefeated. This resulted in the Wolverines winning their first national title since 1997, with head coach Jim Harbaugh calling McCarthy one of the greatest quarterbacks in the program’s history.
How McCarthy’s Mental Approach Sets Him Apart On The Field
The former Wolverine star has analyzed and studied more athletes than he can imagine during his career. His overall goal was to forge what he calls the “ultimate mindset as a competitor”, and through this academic research he chose to value mental fitness, in addition to physical preparation.
Mental health professionals agree with McCarthy regarding performance preparation attempts and the role of meditation concerning performance preparation. The practice also assists in affirming emotional regulation and provides a wider sense of view for athletes when they are facing pressures in competition.
Elizabeth Seng, an associate professor of psychology at Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School, explained to Fortune magazine the science behind what McCarthy is doing – it’s a practice that encourages individuals to have non-judgmental awareness of the present moment.
Read More:
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- Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Reignites OSU Rivalry With Jab At Donovan Jackson’s “Tough Guy-Ness”
- $10M Worth Vikings Offensive Star Gets Real On ‘Patience’ with Michigan Legend J.J. McCarthy in Year 2
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