J.J. McCarthy leads scoring drive in brief return for Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The emotions hit J.J. McCarthy just before he took the field for the Minnesota Vikings.

One day shy of the one-year anniversary of the quarterback’s rookie season being ended by a torn meniscus in his right knee, McCarthy was back.

Finally.

“I had a little teardrop, I’m not going to lie,” McCarthy said after the Vikings’ 20-10 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday. “Being out there before the national anthem. This game is the best game in the world and to be out there with this kind of group, with this coaching staff ... it was absolutely terrific."

McCarthy played just the game’s opening series. But he was 4 of 7 for 30 yards while leading Minnesota on a 58-yard scoring drive that was capped by Will Reichard's 48-yard field goal.

“I was actually getting kind of emotional last night,” McCarthy said. “It’s just the journey any injured player goes on to being back out there doing the thing that they love. It was really special (today), for sure.”

After receiving a rousing ovation from the home crowd as he stepped under center for the first time, McCarthy completed his first four passes, three to Jordan Addison, who made a sliding grab for an 18-yard gain on one. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick last year out of Michigan, also ran 8 yards for a first down on fourth-and-4 at the Texans 43.

“I love the fact that we were able to execute and hit an explosive in the play-pass game,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said of the drive. “I love the fact that we converted some third downs. I loved the fact that on fourth down, he used his legs to steal one.

“I think there’s a level of composure and poise to how he ran the show today that was exactly what I was looking for. And now we go back to work.”

The work resumes when the Vikings hold two days of joint practices with the New England Patriots later this week, and McCarthy said there is still plenty he can improve on.

“Continuing to master the offense and really understand the timing and rhythm of each play,” McCarthy said. “All the little things like footwork and how I’m getting out of my fakes. Just little stuff.

“This is an extremely hard offense to run, but once you master it, things run really smoothly.”

With Sam Darnold under center, the Vikings finished the regular season last year 14-3 before falling to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs. But Darnold departed for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason in free agency and O’Connell has turned the offense over to McCarthy.

McCarthy was replaced by backup Sam Howell when Minnesota's offense took the field for its second possession.

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Houston Texans defensive end Casey Toohill (94) blocks a pass from Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy stands on the sideline during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy takes a snap during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy runs the ball during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — One person died, two people were missing and 16 others were rescued from the waters off San Francisco after a pontoon boat carrying 19 people sank Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen reported the toll and said crews that arrived on the scene near Alcatraz Island found a three-deck pontoon vessel almost fully under water, with the motor still running and leaking fuel.

The waters around Alcatraz Island, once a federal prison and now a tourist destination, attract sailboats and other recreational vessels. It lies in San Francisco Bay about a mile (about 1.6 kilometers) north of the city's shoreline.

The boating mishap was initially reported as a fire, “but we now don’t have any evidence of that,” Crispen said.

Some of the people were injured from falling into the water, but there were no reports of burns, he said. The person who died was alive when plucked from the frigid waters by rescue crews but later died. A dog onboard also died.

Crews continued to search the water for the two missing with divers, helicopters and 11 vessels, Crispen said.

“Right now we are in full rescue mode,” he added.

All those rescued were taken to Gashouse Cove Marina, a small craft harbor in San Francisco. Three people with injuries from falling from the boat were taken to the hospital, Crispen said.

Fire Lt. Mariano Elias said the vessel, described as a “pontoon pleasure boat,” was about 600 yards (about 550 meters) from Alcatraz and the emergency call came in just after 3:30 p.m.

Crispen said the vessel was believed to have launched near the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco. A person who answered the phone there said the club did not have any information on what happened.

Video images from a local Fox station showed a Fire Department boat deployed to rescue people who had been on the vessel, which was largely submerged with objects floating nearby.

Live video from the scene showed a man and a woman wrapped in blankets and sitting on a curb before walking to a nearby ambulance. A yellow tarp covered a body on the dock.

The Coast Guard and Oakland police also helped in the rescue, Elias said.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew goes past Alcatraz Island near the site of a pontoon boat accident on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A body is covered with a tarp on a dock near the site of boat accident on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A body is covered with a tarp on a dock near the site of boat accident on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Emergency crews gather at a dock near the site of a pontoon boat fire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Emergency crews stage near the site of a pontoon boat fire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

An Oakland Police boat is docked near the site of a pontoon boat fire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

A U.S. Coast Guard crew patrols near the site of a pontoon boat fire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Emergency crews gather at a dock near the site of a pontoon boat fire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)