New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh gave the latest update on the playing status of newly acquired QB J.J. McCarthy.
With QB Jaxson Dart out for the season, the Giants sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings for McCarthy, the former 10th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft who fell out of favor in Minnesota.
He will be given a completely fresh start in New York, and although he is still behind current starting QB Jameis Winston on the depth chart, it might not be long until we see McCarthy take a snap for the Giants in a game.
John Harbaugh Provides Update on J.J. McCarthy
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Giants’ Week 4 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Harbaugh gave the latest update on where he feels McCarthy is after a week of practice with his new team.
“(McCarthy) practiced the things we asked him to do. We had the different things for him here and there. A lot of it is just learning the offense. Thought he did a good job with that, 24/7 almost. Really trying to be immersed in the offense. He wants to learn. He wants to know it all. And that’s what we’ve been working on. So it’s just kind of what you’d expect,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN).
McCarthy knows that it is going to take some time to learn the Giants’ offense, and he probably won’t be starting anytime soon unless Winston suffers an injury that knocks him out of game action.
But either way, he is working hard to show the Giants’ coaching staff that them taking a risk trading for him was worth doing, and he hopes that he can keep practising with his new team and take advantage of what he believes is an “opportunity” for a second life in the NFL after what happened in Minnesota.
“When I got the call here, it was a shock. I didn’t anticipate it, but at the end of the day, it’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to take advantage of. And I love these guys already and I can’t wait to do it for them,” McCarthy said.
J.J. McCarthy Loves the Harbaugh Family
After previously playing for Jim Harbaugh at the University of Michigan, McCarthy already has a good rapport with the Harbaugh family.
When the Giants were looking at acquiring McCarthy, John Harbaugh asked Jim for his thoughts on McCarthy and heard nothing but good things about the young QB, which helped expedite the trade to New York, and which McCarthy appreciates.
“Absolutely love the Harbaugh family. They’re made of the right stuff. Faith, family, football. Just everything (John Harbaugh) did in Baltimore, it was super inspiring just to see him take a team and have that success for such a long period of time. And being in this building, you feel it. You feel it. He’s made of the right stuff. He says the right things. He guides his players in the right direction. And yeah, I’m really excited to play for him,” McCarthy said.
Giants HC John Harbaugh Gives Latest Update on J.J. McCarthy