McAfee pokes fun at McCarthy’s intriguing pre-game ritual

Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks to pass against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half in the 2024 Rose Bowl. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pat McAfee pokes fun at J.J. McCarthy’s intriguing pre-game ritual

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 1/1/24

Many consider Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy one of the calmest quarterbacks in college football when under pressure, and that’s not by accident.

Several times a day, and always on game days, McCarthy uses meditation to calm his nerves and clear his mind. McCarthy went through his pre-game routine ahead on Monday’s matchup against Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals, which was caught by ESPN cameras and prompted Pat McAfee to crack a few jokes about the ritual.

“He’s going to need to meditate a first down for this Michigan team because Alabama seems to have figured it out,” McAfee quipped. “I don’t know if that’s a prayer or meditation — I’m assuming Aaron Rodgers is one of his favorite quarterbacks.”

J.J. McCarthy appeared to be meditating and grounding in bare feet pregame #CFBPlayoff | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/baPeTN99tc
— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2024

The 20-year-old signal caller told The Athletic that meditation was a habit he picked up from former teammate Brad Robbins, Michigan’s punter last season who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now, before each game McCarthy sits with his back against a goalpost as he meditates, does breathing exercises and listens to sounds on his headphones at 963 hertz, which he calls “the frequency of God” to help keep him grounded.

“It’s kind of like white noise,” McCarthy told The Athletic. “It does some things I can’t even really describe. … I felt like last year I got caught up in the noise and all the emotions of it. I’m just trying to stay simple.”

Comparing McCarthy’s stats from 2022 and 2023, the meditation appears to have worked. His completion percentage jumped from 64.6% to 74.2%, his yards per attempt increased from 8.4 to 9.2, and his turnover-worthy play rate dropped from 3.4% to 3%, per Pro Football Focus.

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