Sam Darnold's fiancee Katie sends 4-word message to J.J. McCarthy, fiancee Katya over first baby boy Rome's birth

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy became a father for the first time after his fiancee, Katya Kuropas, gave birth to a baby boy, Rome Micah McCarthy.

The duo announced the birth in a joint Instagram post on Friday. The post featured a picture of the newborn and a picture of McCarthy holding his son in his arms. Kuropas penned the heartfelt caption for the post:

"Welcome to the world Rome Micah McCarthy. The sweetest, most perfect gift from God!! We are so unbelievably blessed to be your parents 8.7lb 21 in."

"& so are you my love," McCarthy.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

The post drew attention from fans and players, including Sam Darnold's fiancee Katie Hoofnagle, who congratulated the couple in the comments.

"Perfect little guy, Congrats," Katie commented.

The couple had announced they were expecting their first child in an Instagram post in May. The post featured images of McCarthy and Katya, with the latter showing off her baby bump.

"The best surprises come when you least expect them. Our sweet baby boy is arriving in September and we couldn’t be happier," the caption read.

Vikings teammate congratulated J.J. McCarthy after birth of his first child

J.J. McCarthy reportedly participated in practices earlier this week but left to be with his fiancee, per Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. The former Michigan Wolverines star is expected to play in the Vikings' Week 2 clash against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Viking wide receiver Justin Jefferson shared a congratulatory message for his teammate after Thursday's practice.

"If you seeing this now, congratulations my boy, congratulations," Jefferson said after Thursday's practice. "I'm excited for him for this new chapter, this new journey. But after you get done, come on back!"

The Vikings made a thrilling comeback against the Chicago Bears in their season opener, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter for a 27-24 win. McCarthy completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 143 passing yards, along with two touchdowns and a reception.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Vikings Nation! Check out the latest Minnesota Vikings Schedule and dive into the Vikings Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash