News Article
Published
Oct 15, 2026 at 11:45 AM EDT
J.J. McCarthy’s debut with his new team lasted all of five snaps, and his coach has no plans to scrap the idea.
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh intends to keep working the 23-year-old quarterback into games behind starter Jameis Winston to tap into his running ability, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Harbaugh laid out his reasoning, per a Giants transcript:
“The benefits of it? It’s a change of pace. What you saw is probably not all we have for him right now. Whether or not he’s out there or not will be determined based on whatever happens...... we’re always going to be searching for opportunities to use our players, give them an opportunity to help us win games. I think we’d be negligent if we didn’t try to do that.”
McCarthy’s debut barely registered in a 27-27 draw against the Washington Commanders. His two runs netted 2 yards, and flags erased two other plays.
Washington never looked rattled by his package.
Before that, his last regular-season action came in Week 18 of 2025, when he still belonged to the Minnesota Vikings.
Quarterback depth became a need once a Week 2 knee injury ended Jaxson Dart’s season. Winston is a competent No. 2, though his volatility makes him hard to lean on.
The Giants landed McCarthy on Sept. 28 for a 2027 fifth-round choice, a small price for a former No. 10 overall pick.
Entering the season, McCarthy had only 10 NFL games, and his lone year as Minnesota’s starter in 2025 left real doubts.
At 3-1-1, the Giants sit atop the NFC East, though a pair of the victories came against the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals, arguably the league’s two worst teams.
Nothing Harbaugh said points to McCarthy taking Winston’s job anytime soon. The next test for the package comes in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, with the Houston Texans waiting before the bye.