Even without a trade, the Chicago Bears landed a great player in the first round of the NFL Draft. Oregon Ducks' Dillon Thieneman entered the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the top-rated safeties, and the Bears added him at the 25th pick. Stepping into the NFL, he threw a challenge to JJ McCarthy.

It seems like there is a rivalry that is already brewing in the background. The safety will play for the Chicago Bears in the NFC North. Also in the same division are the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback McCarthy. 

“Not a whole lot, but I can’t wait to face him again,” Thieneman said during his introductory press conference after a reporter asked him about his memory playing with the former Michigan Wolverines quarterback.

The duo faced off only once against each other during their college days in 2023 when the Michigan Wolverines comfortably defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 41-13.

In this rivalry so far, McCarthy leads as he has 335 passing yards against the defensive back. Thieneman recorded five tackles and one pass deflection. 

The bigger question over here is whether McCarthy even starts for the Minnesota Vikings. A knee injury in his first preseason game sidelined him for his entire rookie campaign. In the following season, J.J. McCarthy faced a mix of injuries and uneven play.

His quarterback position is in jeopardy after the Vikings signed veteran quarterback Kyler Murray.

According to the sources, through his first six starts, McCarthy owns a 57.9 passer rating, ranking as the fifth-lowest for any quarterback since 2000. Along with it, he has the highest interception rate (6.3%).

But Thieneman threw a challenge to McCarthy, being a steal deal for the Bears.

What Dillon Thieneman Brings to Chicago

Thieneman made an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2023, tallying six interceptions even though the Boilermakers struggled as a team. He has always displayed winning instincts, leading the Bears to count on him for the secondary.

The Vikings could start either Murray or McCarthy in 2026, and ball security has been a weakness for both of them. Jared Goff still puts up solid numbers, but under pressure, he tends to put up risky 50-50 throws.

All these are the chances that Thieneman looks to capitalize on. Meanwhile, he has the hunger to improve himself.

“His biggest area of growth was he really improved as an open-field tackler. Before he came here, it was not good. He was all about growth. He’s always going to ask the coaches how he can get better," came from Ducks' defensive coordinator Chris Hampton

The 21-year-old will fill the void left by Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. The NFC North is shaping up to be fiercely competitive again. So, the Bears will find themselves in plenty of close games. And in those high-pressure moments, Thieneman will have to thrive.

But will his dream come true to face off against McCarthy? Share your thoughts.

Read more at Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar