Apple Store Employees Mock “Poorly Dressed Customer” — 48 Hours Later, Realize They Insulted NFL Star J.J. McCarthy
When J.J. McCarthy, the 23-year-old rising star quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, walked into an Apple Store earlier this week, he expected nothing more than to buy the newly released iPhone 17. Instead, what happened next quickly became a story spreading across social media — one that speaks volumes about humility, judgment, and perception.
Witnesses at the Mall of America Apple Store in Bloomington, Minnesota reported that McCarthy, dressed casually in sweats, a hoodie, and sneakers after a late-night film study, was mistaken for a broke college student by a pair of store employees. One of them allegedly made a dismissive remark under his breath about “people window-shopping with no intent to buy,” unaware that the “broke kid” standing in front of them was an
“He didn’t look offended,” one onlooker said. “He just smiled, nodded, and asked politely about the new model. You could tell he was a nice guy, but they definitely underestimated him.”
According to reports, McCarthy quietly completed his purchase at another Apple location later that day — paying in full for multiple iPhone 17 Pro Max units for teammates and staff members as part of a team bonding gesture. But the real twist came two days later, when local news stations and fans flooded social media with photos of the same man the employees had mocked — walking onto the field at
“Imagine being rude to J.J. McCarthy at an Apple Store, then seeing him throw three touchdowns on Sunday Night Football,” one fan wrote in a viral post that quickly hit over a million views on X (formerly Twitter).
By the time the story reached national outlets, the Apple Store in question had reportedly reached out to McCarthy to issue a formal apology. While neither McCarthy nor the Vikings organization has confirmed the details, sources close to the player say he “laughed it off” and told friends he wasn’t bothered.
“He’s as humble as they come,” a teammate shared. “That’s J.J. — he could buy the whole store if he wanted to, but he’s never been the kind of guy to flex. He just lets his play speak for itself.”
The story has since become a trending topic across the sports world — not for controversy, but for its reminder that appearances can be deceiving, and humility often carries more weight than fame.
How Dolphins Firing GM Could Impact Steelers’ Trade Deadline Plans
The Miami Dolphins might be open for business ahead of the NFL trade deadline, and that could be good news for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Miami’s season is circling the drain after a Thursday night loss to Baltimore that opened the NFL Week 9 slate. The Dolphins are now 2-7, and the purge has begun with the team “mutually” parting ways with general manager Chris Grier.
According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Dolphins have less than a 1% chance to make the playoffs, and with the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline days away, a sell-off might make some sense. That could and probably should include wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who might be the Dolphins’ top trade chip.
If he’s available — and that might be more likely now than it was before Grier started cleaning out his office — the Steelers seem like the perfect team to give Miami a call.
Why Jaylen Waddle Could Soon Be Option for Steelers
According to one report, a Waddle trade was highly unlikely with Grier calling the shots. SNY’s Connor Hughes reported Grier had no intentions of shipping out the Alabama product, but that could change now.
“Something I was told regarding Jaylen Waddle, and said this on (SNY): He wasn’t getting moved as long as Chris Grier had a say,” Hughes posted to X. “He believed, because of one-possession games, (the) Dolphins could turn it around.
“With Grier now gone … ”
Of course, even if the Dolphins start shopping Waddle, it doesn’t mean the Steelers are the automatic landing spot. But there’s been no shortage of reporting connecting Pittsburgh to wideouts who could or might become available in trade.
In addition to a whole lot of Jakobi Meyers smoke, there’s a general sense that Pittsburgh would look at any number of options for a potential upgrade on the outside.
“Pittsburgh has made calls to evaluate potential upgrades at wide receiver,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo wrote on Oct. 30.
What It Would Take to Acquire Waddle
Among the receivers DeFabo listed as options for the Steelers was Waddle. A player like Waddle, a former first-round pick (No. 6 overall in 2020), might be at the higher end of the list. He’s having another fine season with 586 yards on 41 receptions after another stellar six-catch, 82-yard showing against Baltimore. His contract, however, might be the issue.
“He is signed through 2028 and is due more than $16.6 million in guarantees in 2026,” DeFabo wrote. “He’d bring a cap hit of $11.7 million in 2026, $33.8 million in 2027 and $37.2 million in 2028. The Steelers may need to renegotiate that deal to make the money more palatable.”
There’s also the question of draft capital and how much that might cost a team to acquire Waddle. A first-round pick seems unlikely, but the asking price from Miami likely starts with a Day 2 pick (or two) to land the talented receiver.
It’s not a perfect comparison, but the New York Jets gave up a conditional pick last year to acquire Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jets sent Vegas a third-round pick that would have become a second-rounder had Adams earned All-Pro honors or the Jets reached the AFC Championship Game.
