This Sunday, when the Minnesota Vikings line up against the Detroit Lions, all eyes will be on JJ McCarthy and Aidan Hutchinson. The two former Michigan stars, who once dominated together in college football, will now stand on opposite sidelines for the first time in the NFL. And before this matchup, McCarthy opened up about what it means to face one of the most dangerous defenders in the league.

“He’s a great player… fantastic leader, and he’s gonna have that defense rolling,” Macarthy said. “We’re not expecting him, but we’re also expecting him to make some plays, because you got to give him that credit. He is that good. So just being able to take advantage of all the little details in the game plan and make sure we execute all the little things and that’ll give us our best shot.”

Interestingly, Hutchinson feels the same kind of mutual respect. The Lions’ DE said that he is looking forward to the matchup.

“It’ll be exciting. We have a great relationship, and I probably got to shoot him a text this week at some point, letting him know. And no, I’m super excited. He’s a great competitor, great player, and I’m looking forward to it.”

This matchup won’t be easy, though. McCarthy’s season has had bumps already. Through two games, he’s thrown for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Meanwhile, Hutchinson is on a tear with six sacks, eleven solo tackles, and a fumble recovery in just seven games.

To make things even tougher, McCarthy is coming off a nagging injury. It’ll be his first game since that high ankle sprain in Week 2 against Atlanta. Reflecting on the setback, McCarthy recently admitted how tough the recovery was.

JJ McCarthy shares hidden injury struggles

The Vikings’ QB finally looks ready to deliver. After missing six games, the young quarterback is officially back to full strength. He took all first-team reps during Wednesday’s practice, marking his first complete session since the injury.

Talking to reporters, McCarthy didn’t hide how tough the road back has been.

“Really hard,” he admitted before explaining his mindset. “In my past… if I felt 10% 15% I was gonna go out there and give it my all. But understanding how this league works and how everything operates. I was just listening to my trainers and coach O’Connell and obeying orders at the end of the day. But I think it was the smartest thing possible, and I feel great. Ready to go. I feel like I have those mobility things that I was concerned about going into last week and the prior weeks. So yeah, ready to go.”

His comeback couldn’t have come at a better time. Carson Wentz managed to keep the Vikings in the hunt, going 2–3 during McCarthy’s absence. But now, sitting at 3–4 and last in the NFC North, the Vikings need their first-round pick to stabilize things.

The offense sits at the bottom half when it comes to scoring, and fans across the Skol Nation are hoping McCarthy can shift that narrative fast. So, Sunday becomes more than just another game.

McCarthy versus Aidan Hutchinson: who takes control when old teammates turn rivals?