Wolverine Digest

Colston Loveland's message to JJ McCarthy ahead of Bears-Vikings Monday Night Football showdown

Despite the bond from their days as Michigan Wolverines, Colston Loveland and JJ McCarthy are now NFC North rivals in the NFL.

Chris Breiler

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It wasn't all that long ago that JJ McCarthy and Colston Loveland were wearing the same uniform in Ann Arbor. The duo achieved tremendous success together during their time at Michigan, culminating in a National Championship victory and a perfect 15-0 finish during the 2023 season.

But the days of being teammates are over, and they now find themselves as NFC North rivals in the NFL. Despite that Michigan connection, Loveland made it clear that the Bears will be fully ready to knock off McCarthy's Vikings when the two sides clash to open the 2025 season on Monday Night Football.

Speaking recently with Rich Eisen, Loveland said that he'll always have a bond with McCarthy, except for when the two meet on the football field as rivals.

"I'd say that's my guy, Michigan man, we got to do some things in college, and he knows I love him," Loveland said. "But we're not on the same team anymore. So all I know is, Monday Night, we're going to be prepared, we're going to be fired up, ready to go out there and... good luck."

When asked if McCarthy would still be his guy on game day, Loveland offered a simple response.

"No longer, nope."

Both McCarthy and Loveland will be looking to assert themselves in the league when the season kicks off. While Loveland is entering his rookie year, McCarthy is fresh off an injury that cost him his entire rookie season in 2024. And with both teams looking to make a run at the NFC North championship and beyond, this will be a critical early-season primetime matchup on a national stage for the two former Wolverines.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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