It’s been a couple of weeks since the Minnesota Vikings traded J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick.
Nonetheless, McCarthy now has an opportunity for a fresh start, as the Giants named him the starting QB on Oct. 21 for their Week 7 game against the Houston Texans.
The Giants’ decision to turn to the former Vikings starter stems from his Week 6 performance against the New Orleans Saints; McCarthy entered in the fourth quarter with New York trailing 34-10, replacing Jameis Winston. He sparked a late rally that brought the Giants within reach of a comeback victory.
McCarthy completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, finishing with a 90.0 passer rating. Although the Giants fell short, it appears as though it was enough to warrant a start.
Ahead of his Week 7 start with the Giants, McCarthy discussed what he learned during his time with the Vikings and why he feels better prepared for his next opportunity as a starting quarterback.
“I believe just experience does wonders,” McCarthy told reporters on Oct. 21. “Being able to be in that same situation where you might have made a mistake the last time, this time you’re just going to react better and make a more well-rounded response decision in that situation.
“Just being around great talent and great coaches, absolutely love everyone on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball does a tremendous job of just giving us opportunities and always making sure we stay in the game and fight till the last seconds of each game.”
Vikings’ Brian O’Neill on J.J. McCarthy’s Week 6 Performance
With McCarthy off on the right foot in New York, Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill shared his candid thoughts on seeing his former teammate find success.
“I didn’t watch it live, but I was getting some texts while it was going on, and then I saw the highlights after,” O’Neill said during an Oct. 21 appearance on KFAN. “I was really happy for him. I think you saw how happy the New York Giants sideline was for him. That’s cool.
“You want guys to be able to have a chance to play, and I’m happy he’s stepped in and played well. Who knows what’ll happen the rest of the year, but he’s going to be ready if they call his number.”
Giants’ John Harbaugh on J.J. McCarthy’s Tenure S0 Far
Moreover, Giants head coach John Harbaugh shared his thoughts on the decision to go with McCarthy, noting that the players know who the good players are on the team and know who gives them the best chance to win which might explain the QB switch as the NFC East is wide open for anyone to win.
“I’d watched him a lot in college, but now I need to watch tape, and then I’m watching the tape, and you see good, and you see the not good and all that,” Harbaugh told reporters on Oct. 21. “But I saw a lot of talent, and I saw a guy that I thought could do the things that we want to do on offense for sure. But I got to give our scouts in the building a lot of credit. They were excited about that opportunity.
“As far as the players, they always need to see it. The players go by what they see, and a lot of times, the players know more than anybody who the good players are. They’re the ones out there playing with them. But I think that the last couple of weeks, they’ve had a chance to see him in practice, and they’re pretty fired up about it.”
Former Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Gets Candid Ahead of Giants Start