Katya Kuropas is bubbling with pride after her fiancé, J.J. McCarthy, marked his NFL debut with a heart-pounding comeback victory as the new quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.

Just hours following McCarthy's exciting 27-24 triumph over the Chicago Bears on 'Monday Night Football,' Kuropas took to her Instagram Stories to celebrate her fiancé's impressive first outing. "What a night!!" she declared alongside a Vikings graphic featuring McCarthy. "So proud of you! Keep showin' em! 🤜🤛"

McCarthy, who had to sit out the entirety of his rookie season due to a knee injury, faced a rocky start in his debut. He threw a pick-six early in the third quarter but turned the tide dramatically in the final quarter, leading the Vikings with three scoring drives for the win.

Coach Kevin O'Connell praised McCarthy's composure throughout the game, noting, "I felt poise from the very beginning… The best thing was just the belief I felt from the team, and ultimately, that doesn’t get done without him in the second half." In a pivotal moment at halftime, O'Connell told McCarthy, "You are going to bring us back to win this game," and the young quarterback took those words to heart.

"Any kind of compliments or belief like that means the world. It just gave me the confidence to go out there and execute the plays, make quick decisions, and it worked out," McCarthy reflected after the game, having completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Vikings fans are eagerly anticipating McCarthy’s next performance when the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons at home during 'Sunday Night Football.' Since being selected as the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft, McCarthy has leaned on Kuropas, his high school sweetheart, for support. She cheered him on during Michigan’s national championship win in January 2024—the same month they announced their engagement.