Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy warms up during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2024. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
J.J. McCarthy is helping to make sure all Minnesotans stay warm this winter.
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback joined local social media personality Josh Liljenquist to purchase tents, heaters and hard warmers and give them out to Minnesotans experiencing homelessness. A video of McCarthy, Liljenquist and others handing out the tents and other supplies to those in need had 911,000 views on TikTok as of Thursday afternoon.
Liljenquist, a Minnesota native, has 9 million followers on TikTok, 4.6 million on Instagram and over 10,000 on X, formerly Twitter, and regularly posts videos of himself and others giving back to the community. Liljenquist will often purchase large amounts of food from local restaurants and hand it out to the underprivileged. His videos on TikTok get millions of views, some even 10s of millions. Liljenquist told the Star Tribune last January it's his way of giving back, a value instilled to him from his family. The videos are meant to be a good example to kids amid so much other negativity on social media.