He’s changing the narrative about his NFL career after taking over as the starting quarterback for the New York Giants, but J.J. McCarthy is wary of how a former teammate can damage his revival when Big Blue meets the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.
The Giants’ fiercest NFC East rival will have ex-Michigan quarterback Joe Milton III at the controls at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, November 8. McCarthy saw Milton’s talents firsthand when their time with the Wolverines overlapped, and the Giants’ QB1 still has strong feelings about his familiar opponent.
McCarthy told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News how he initially thought, “Oh my God. There’s no way I’m gonna play here,” after watching Milton throw in practice.
As McCarthy put it, “seeing him rip it 85 yards on a rope, everything was a tight spiral. I was like, ‘This is the craziest quarterback I’ve ever seen.'”
Now McCarthy & “J Milly” are about to face off as the Giants’ & Eagles’ QBs in an unlikely NFC East showdown of (brief) former college teammates
Those memories form a warning of sorts for the Giants. They’re the in-form team against the injury-depleted Eagles, but Milton’s presence is the wild-card, despite how his and McCarthy’s careers went in different directions after their initial encounter.
J.J. McCarthy Can Assert Himself Against Frenemy
Despite his fears, McCarthy did seize the reins at Michigan, eventually leading the Wolverines to a national title. That success helped him become a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, when McCarthy was selected 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings.
Things didn’t work out in Minnesota, but McCarthy’s already been close to perfect for the Giants. The 23-year-old can continue his upward trajectory at the expense of the friendly rival he refers to as “J Milly,” but only if McCarthy overcomes an Eagles’ defense expertly coordinated by savvy play-caller Vic Fangio.
He considers trading a fifth-round pick for McCarthy a true “steal” for the Giants. Yet, Fangio will still have a complex array of rotating coverages and elaborate pressures to test McCarthy’s improvement.
If McCarthy overcomes Fangio’s wily schemes, he could find himself in a shootout with Milton. Particularly when the latter is aiming for his own career turnaround after a move within the NFC East.
Joe Milton III a Threat the Giants Can’t Ignore
Milton took his erratic talents to Tennessee while McCarthy was asserting himself at Michigan. A three-year stint with the Volunteers left Milton waiting until the sixth round to be drafted by the New England Patriots, 183 picks after McCarthy.
His unfathomable arm strength couldn’t help Milton impress in New England, but the Dallas Cowboys gave him a chance. That opportunity also didn’t bear any fruit, and the Cowboys were content to watch a division rival claim the 26-year-old off their practice squad.
The Giants can’t risk viewing Milton’s nomadic pro career as a sign he’s vulnerable in Week 9. Not when he can move and launch the ball the way he did on this 48-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte for the Pats to close the 2024 regular season.
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Milton already showcased his mobility to the Giants in the final week of the 2025 campaign. He rushed for 43 yards on four attempts in a losing cause when the Giants beat the Cowboys 34-17.
A dual-threat quarterback with genuine talent as a deep passer is a threat to any defense. It’s why Garrett Podell of CBS Sports predicts Milton will lead the Eagles to an upset this week.
Podell cited how “Milton showed significant strides in the accuracy and touch departments in Dallas’ three exhibition games in 2026. He completed 29 of his 43 passes (67.4%) for 378 yards, three passing touchdowns and no interceptions for a 118.2 passer rating” as further cause for concern for the Giants.
Those concerns can be offset by the Giants turning increasingly dominant edge-rusher Abdul Carter loose against Milton. Carter’s been dealing with an illness, but he was back at practice on Friday, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
A double act of Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who still has the respect of an All-Pro teammate, should corral Milton. Then it will be over to McCarthy to remind everyone why he won the job at Michigan.
J.J. McCarthy Warns Giants About Eagles’ QB Joe Milton III