Michigan national champions JJ McCarthy, Colston Loveland set for NFL debuts on Monday Night Football
originally appeared on The Sporting News
Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season concludes on Monday night as the Minnesota Vikings face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
The game will feature the NFL debuts of two former Michigan Wolverines who won a national championship together in 2023, and now will face each other in their first NFL game.
Vikings’ quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Bears’ tight end Colston Loveland won’t be directly lining up against each other on Monday, but McCarthy won’t be throwing the ball to Loveland like he did at Michigan.
Michigan’s McCarthy, Loveland Make NFL Debuts
The Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, after he spent three year with the Wolverines. The Michigan product sat in his rookie year behind Sam Darnold, but now it’s his turn to take over in Minnesota.
McCarthy put together a spectacular career at Michigan, throwing for more than 6,000 yards and nearly 50 touchdowns.
In his senior year, when the Wolverines won the national championship, McCarthy led the Big Ten with a 72.3 percent completion percentage, a quarterback rating of 167.4 and finished Top 10 in Heisman voting.
#Vikings QB JJ McCarthy on having to play his favorite team growing up for his NFL debut.
“I grew up a #Bears fan, it broke my heart to see my them pass on me for a different quarterback. Ohio state did something similar though, ask them how that turned out.”
WOW. 🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/PLb0mdlIJd
— NFC North News (@NFCNorthNewss) September 5, 2025
The Michigan product knows what a big stage is like, and now he’ll make his NFL debut in primetime, on Monday Night Football. He’ll do so against his college teammate, Loveland.
The Bears drafted Loveland 10th overall, the exact same spot as McCarthy, in the 2025 NFL Draft. Loveland collected nearly 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns throughout his three years at Michigan, and won the national championship with McCarthy in 2023.
“I feel good. It’s finally here. I’m very excited.” 🤩@ruthiepolinsky caught up with rookie TE (and viral social media sensation) Colston Loveland ahead of his NFL debut ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qlrP9paoa8
— Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) September 8, 2025
The Wolverines duo connected three times for 64 yards in the 34-13 national championship win Washington.
Now, they’ll be on opposite sides as they both get set to continue their football career with their NFL debuts on Monday night.
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