J.J. McCarthy’s Fiancée Reacts to Vikings Teammate Blake Cashman’s Engagement Announcement
When J.J. McCarthy and Katya Kuropas welcomed their son Rome in September, it marked another high-profile chapter in the life of the Minnesota Vikings' rising quarterback.
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Just one year prior, McCarthy suffered a meniscus tear that sidelined him for the entirety of his rookie season, mere months after being selected 10th overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
Now, the football world is catching wind of a subtler rippling moment as on Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman shared an Instagram post announcing his engagement to longtime girlfriend Taylor Saunders on Thursday.
Soon after, Kuropas reshared the post, commenting, "I would cry ."
After undergoing surgery to repair his knee in 2024, McCarthy took over the starting QB role for the 2025 NFL season.
In just two games, he’s thrown for 301 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, posting a 67.2 QBR and 21.6 passer rating.
His official debut on Sept. 8 against the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football" earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after a dramatic fourth-quarter surge.
In the final quarter, McCarthy completed 6-of-8 passes for 87 yards with touchdowns to Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones Sr.
Meanwhile, he and Kuropas have built a strong relationship stretching back to high school: the couple started dating in October 2018, when he was a sophomore.
Even though McCarthy transferred from Nazareth Academy in Illinois to IMG Academy in Florida due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling his season at Nazareth, the couple stayed together and both graduated from high school in 2021.
While McCarthy was at Michigan, Kuropas was a regular at his games and the two got engaged in January 2024, just three months before McCarthy got drafted to the NFL.
Steelers Rumored to Trade Pat Freiermuth as His Role Diminishes in 2025
There was hope that the arrival of Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh would help Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth reach even greater heights in 2025, but that’s been far from the case through four games. And to make matters even worse, one former NFL GM predicts Pittsburgh could trade the talented pass catcher.
On Thursday, 93.7 The Fan's Andrew Fillipponi reported that a former general manager believes Pittsburgh could ship Freiermuth off to the Washington Commanders or Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a third- to fourth-round draft pick — which, to be fair, isn’t the worst idea considering his minuscule impact through four games.
In the four matchups Pittsburgh has played this season, Freiermuth has caught just seven passes for 65 yards. He's also played second fiddle to TE Jonnu Smith and, most recently, TE Darnell Washington in Week 4's snap counts.
As amazing as it is to hear Steelers Nation scream “Muth” at the top of their lungs, his connection with Rodgers just hasn’t panned out — and with two other capable tight ends on the roster, now may be the perfect time to acquire some solid Day 2 draft capital in return.
