Getty J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after facing the New England Patriots. At just 22 years old, J.J. McCarthy enters his first game with the Minnesota Vikings as the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL. Among a new era of Gen Z quarterbacks emerging in the sports world, the wisdom of his elders isn’t lost on McCarthy. McCarthy has crossed paths with numerous sports stars in his climb to the NFL, including Tom Brady, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Minnesota Twins Hall