Wolverine Digest

Here's what was inside of JJ McCarthy's giant mystery bag

Chris Breiler

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and center Michael Jurgens (65) warm up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and center Michael Jurgens (65) warm up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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Those who have followed JJ McCarthy's career for a while are well aware of his love for meditation. During his days in Ann Arbor, McCarthy would often be seen sitting underneath the goal posts on game day in a meditative state as he prepared his mind for battle.

JJ McCarthy
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy meditates during warmups before the Big Ten championship game. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

"For me personally, I meditate before the game just to really get my mind set into that calmness, that emptiness where I can allow things to happen and I can react from a higher perspective instead of reacting out of just straight impulse," McCarthy said. "I want to promote the practice [of meditation] to the rest of the world. I want to be able to have, you know, kids who look up to me, see that and be like, 'hey, let me try this out' and see it for themselves."

Whatever he's doing as part of that process clearly works. During his two years as a starter at Michigan, McCarthy put together an overall record of 27-1, including a 2-0 record against Ohio State, 2 Big Ten Championships. a Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, and a National Championship victory over Washington.

Now that he's moved on to Minnesota, it appears as though McCarthy is taking that pregame meditation routine to a new level. Ahead of Saturday's preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, the rookie QB entered U.S. Bank Stadium with an unusually large bag that certainly caught some attention.

A little bit of digging revealed that McCarthy was carrying a Shiftwave chair, something that has reportedly become part of his weekly routine in Minneapolis.

The zero-gravity chair looks like something straight out of The Matrix, and the description of how it functions certainly aligns well with McCarthy's meditative approach.

Since 2018, our team of visionary scientists and engineers has been working in one of the world’s most advanced psychophysiology laboratories. Using a data-driven approach, we measured 24 distinct human biometrics and captured 2,000 data points per second to develop and optimize our technology. Experience the benefits by reclining in a zero-gravity chair, where 18 microprocessor-controlled drivers send pulsed pressure waves through your body. This technology, informed by over a billion data points, helps to:

  • Reset your nervous system
  • Reduce inflammation and pain
  • Restore sleep function

Once again, it seems as though his pregame routine worked out pretty well. After a somewhat shaky start on his opening drive that ended in an interception, McCarthy settled in and began to carve up the Raiders defense. The rookie QB would finish his preseason debut completing 11-of-17 attempts for 188 yards and two TDs (along with one INT) over six drives. He also added 18 yards on two carries.

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Chris Breiler

CHRIS BREILER

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