Today is Tuesday, Sept. 9, the 252nd day of 2025. There are 113 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 9, 1971, prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York, taking 42 staff members hostage and demanding improvements to inmate treatment and living conditions.

Also on this date:

In 1776, the second Continental Congress formally adopted the name “United States of America,” replacing the “United Colonies of North America.”

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In 1850, California was admitted as the 31st U.S. state.

In 1919, about 1,100 members of Boston’s 1,500-member police force went on strike. The strike was broken by Massachusetts Gov. Calvin Coolidge with replacement officers.

In 1948, the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared.

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since Reconstruction, a measure primarily concerned with protecting voting rights. It also established a Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Justice.

In 2022, King Charles III gave his first speech to Britain as its new monarch, vowing to carry on the “lifelong service” of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who died a day earlier.

Today’s Birthdays:

Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 80.
Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann is 76.
Actor Angela Cartwright is 73.
Musician-producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) is 73.
Actor Hugh Grant is 65.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., is 62.
Actor Constance Marie is 60.
Actor Adam Sandler is 59.
Actor Julia Sawalha (suh-WAHL’-hah) is 57.
Model Rachel Hunter is 56.
Actor Eric Stonestreet is 54.
Actor Henry Thomas is 54.
Actor Goran Visnjic (VEEZ’-nihch) is 53.
Pop-jazz singer Michael Bublé (boo-BLAY’) is 50.
Actor Michelle Williams is 45.
Actor Zoe Kazan is 42.
Soccer player Luka Modrić is 40.
Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes is 34.

CHICAGO — The conversation about young quarterback J.J. McCarthy could’ve gone much differently had he not found his rhythm on Monday night at Soldier Field.

There were growing pains for McCarthy in his NFL debut, and as a result, the Vikings found themselves chasing the game.

As soon as McCarthy found his stride, however, he helped lead a comeback that ended with the Vikings walking away with 24-27 win over the Chicago Bears.

It was an impressive turnaround from McCarthy considering how much he struggled for the Vikings in the the early stages. On the other side, quarterback Caleb Williams crumbled down the stretch for the Bears, proving that he still has a long way to go

Here are some takeaways the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the Bears:

J.J. McCarthy proved he’s the guy

There were a number of times that McCarthy could’ve folded under pressure. Like when he was struggling to string together drives before halftime. Or when he immediately threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown after halftime.

That’s simply not how McCarthy is wired. There’s a reason he’s won at every level. He never loses confidence in himself, which, in turn, makes it easy for his teammates to maintain their confidence in him.

A perfect example of that came in primetime.

Never mind that McCarthy hadn’t moved the ball much to that point. He led the offense on a trio of scoring drives in the final frame, throwing for a pair of touchdowns, and rushing for a touchdown, as well, which helped propel the Vikings to a win over the Bears.

The mental fortitude that McCarthy displayed along the way is why so many people walked away feeling like he was the right guy to lead the Vikings into the future.

Jordan Mason looked the part

If the Vikings didn’t have running back Jordan Mason on their roster, they might have lost the game to the Bears.

That speaks to Mason’s effectiveness while logging 15 carries for 68 yards. Who cares that he didn’t find the end zone? That’s going to come at some point.

There was a pivotal stretch during which Mason helped take the edge off with a couple of runs that went for big gains. That opened everything up downfield and McCarthy was able to hit star receiver Justin Jefferson for a touchdown that gave the Vikings some life.

It’s a credit to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah that Mason is a part of the equation. He swung a deal with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Mason for what basically amounted to a late draft pick.

It’s looking more like a heist in hindsight given how impactful Mason looks in the backfield.

Javon Hargrave couldn’t be contained

There were so many contributors for the Vikings on the defensive line that it doesn’t feel right to single out a player.That said, veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was so dominant in the trenches that, well, he must be mentioned on his own.

It’d be an understatement to say Hargrave lived up to the hype in his first game with the Vikings. He finished with a pair of sacks while consistently making life miserable for the offensive line on the other end.

Though none of his peers were credited with sacks, they made their presence felt, whether it was veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, young defensive tackle Jalen Redmond, or any of the other players in the rotation.

It’s pretty clear that unit up front is going to be massive for the Vikings moving forward.

Eric Wilson stepped up big time

The train could’ve gone off the tracks after starting linebacker Blake Cashman left the game with hamstring injury. The fact that it didn’t is a testament to veteran linebacker Eric Wilson and his preparation.

Not only did Wilson take over as the person wearing the helmet that gets the play call from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, he didn’t miss a beat while making sure everybody was on the same page.

That why the Vikings went out an signed Wilson as a free agent.

On top of making a difference on defense, Wilson continued to be an ace on special teams, partially blocking a punt late to give the Vikings the ball back in a good spot. He was everything everywhere all at once.

Myles Pride was a pleasant surprise

It might not be hyperbole to say receiver Myles Price is already the best punter returner the Vikings have had since cornerback Marcus Sherels proudly held down the role for nearly a decade.

That’s how good Price was in his NFL debut.

After coming to the Vikings as an undrafted free agent, Price slowly started to separate himself from his peers in the competition to be the starting punt returner. He won the job out of training camp and proved to be the right choice.

Not only did Price look comfortable catching the ball out of the air, he finished with 4 punt returns for 68 yards. That average from Price was more than 10 yards more than than receiver Brandon Powell averaged previously as the punt return.

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Minnesota House Democrats elected Rep. Zack Stephenson as their new caucus leader on Monday, ending a months-long vacancy after the assassination of former House Speaker Rep. Melissa Hortman.

Stephenson, a representative from Coon Rapids, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018. He’s an assistant Hennepin County prosecutor and was the key House sponsor of the 2023 bill that legalized recreational marijuana in Minnesota.

Undated courtesy photo from the 2025-26 Minnesota legislative session of Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids. (Courtesy of the Minnesota House of Representatives)

In a news release on his election as caucus leader, Stephenson said he was honored to receive his colleagues’ support and described Hortman as “irreplaceable” as a leader and friend.

“While I’ve been chosen to lead, it will take all of us, working together, to move forward, honor Speaker Hortman’s legacy, and build a Minnesota where everyone can succeed,” he said. “We are all still grieving, but I am confident we can carry our shared work into the future.”

Stephenson, 41, chaired the House Commerce Committee when the DFL held the majority. He also co-chairs the influential House Ways and Means Committee, which reviews fiscal aspects of bills before they reach the House floor.

Before entering the legal profession and elected office, Stephenson managed Hortman’s first successful campaign for the state House in 2004 and worked as a staffer for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar before attending law school at the University of Chicago in the late 2000s.

Hortman had led the House Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus since 2017, first as the minority party. Her party elected her speaker after they won a House majority in the 2018 election, and she served in that role until the beginning of this year.

Hortman lost the speakership after Republicans ended the DFL majority in the 2024 election, which delivered a House tied 67-67 between the parties. She continued to serve as House DFL leader.

Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed by a gunman at their home in Brooklyn Park on June 14. The alleged shooter, who faces federal and state charges, also shot and injured state Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette, at their home.

House DFLers are currently in the minority, though the Legislature isn’t scheduled to convene until February unless DFL Gov. Tim Walz calls lawmakers back to the state Capitol for a special session on gun violence — something he has signaled could happen in the wake of deadly shootings at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school last month.

The House DFL currently has 66 seats to Republicans’ 67, and that balance will remain until the Sept. 16 special election for Hortman’s former seat in House District 34B, which includes Brooklyn Park as well as parts of Champlin and Coon Rapids.

It’s widely expected that the DFL candidate, Xp Lee, will win that race and return the balance to 67-67.

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CHICAGO — The stage was set for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy to make the Chicago Bears pay for passing on him twice in the 2024 NFL draft. After cheering for them as a kid growing up in La Grange Park, Ill., McCarthy had a chance to beat them in front of a national television audience in primetime.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

It looked like any chance of that went up in flames shortly after halftime when McCarthy threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

To that point, the Vikings had been an abject disaster on offense. The potential passing attack that has become synonymous with head coach Kevin O’Connell was nowhere to be found. The rebuilt running game that was touted for the past few months was rendered completely ineffective.

Not exactly a recipe for a comeback.

But the Vikings kept hanging around and hanging around, and when McCarthy found a rhythm they unleashed a fourth-quarter tidal wave on the Bears. The result? A stunning 27-24 win for the Vikings at Soldier Field.

In the end, McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns, to go along with a couple of carries for 25 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Though it wasn’t the sexiest stat line on the surface, McCarthy most importantly showed his moxie, staring adversity directly in the face and emerging victorious.

The slow start for McCarthy caused an overreaction on social media, with a chunk of the fan base labeling him a bust. There wasn’t much to write home about as McCarthy’s nerves seemed to get the best of him for prolonged stretches.

Aaron Jones Sr. #33 of the Minnesota Vikings runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sept. 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

On the other end, quarterback Caleb Williams showcased how dangerous he can be when the play breaks down, escaping pressure and rushing for a touchdown to put the Bears up 7-0 in the early stages.

Meanwhile, as the Vikings continued to struggle mightily on offense, their best play to that point was a pass interference penalty that gained them 42 yards and set up a field goal from Will Reichard to trim the deficit to 7-3.

A field goal from Cairo Santos stretched the Bears’ lead to 10-3 before McCarthy finally showed some life with a 31-yard completion to receiver Jalen Nailor. That set up a 59-yard field goal from Reichard to cut the deficit to 10-6 at halftime.

Then came the rookie mistake from McCarthy that momentarily flipped the game on its head.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, left, catches a touchdown pass as Chicago Bears defensive back Kevin Byard III (31) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

After moving the Vikings into scoring position, McCarthy tried to rip a ball to the sideline, and cornerback Nahshon Wright undercut the route and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-6 in favor of the Bears.

A missed field goal from Santos kept the door ajar, however, and the Vikings came storming through.

After a few nice runs from running back Jordan Mason, McCarthy threw the first touchdown pass of his career, a strike to Justin Jefferson that cut the deficit to 17-12 after a failed conversion.

The Vikings’ onslaught continued as McCarthy found running back Aaron Jones for a deep touchdown pass on the next possession to make it 20-17.

The next time McCarthy got the ball back, he showcased his legs, taking a read option 14 yards into the end zone to stretch the Vikings’ lead to 27-17.

Chicago Bears defensive back Nahshon Wright (26) runs to score a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Though the Bears got a touchdown late on a pass from Williams to Rome Odunze to make it 27-24, the Vikings walked away with a win. And McCarthy started his career like he has at pretty much every stage of his life.

With a win.

 

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