The New York Giants have decided to hand the starting quarterback job to J.J. McCarthy. The move comes after the team acquired the former first-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings in late September for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
McCarthy already showed real promise in week 6 but former NFL MVP warns Giants for their confidence with J.J. McCarthy and said what he feels about McCarthy as the starter.
Former NFL MVP warns Giants for J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy had been serving as the backup behind veteran Jameis Winston, but his performance in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints forced the issue.
McCarthy entered in the fourth quarter with the Giants trailing by 24 points. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding 26 rushing yards. Though his completion percentage sat at just 52.4 percent and he showed some inconsistency, but the effort was enough for head coach John Harbaugh and the coaching staff to make the switch permanent heading into Week 7.
Former NFL MVP Rich Gannon has publicly cautioned the Giants about the decision. Speaking in an interview, Gannon pointed to clear areas where McCarthy still needs significant improvement.
“He’s still got a lot to do,” Gannon said. “His accuracy, decision-making, and his lack of anticipation are all areas of concern for me … The game is going way too fast for him. He must step up and improve that side of his game. I think he’s figuring out that the NFL is not the Big Ten,” Rich Gannon said.
Rich Gannon’s view can’t fully be ignored considering the McCarthy’s 2025 performance in 10 starts with Minnesota Vikings. Gannon noted that McCarthy often appeared late with his eyes and arm last season, struggled with rhythm and protections, and is still adjusting to the reality that the NFL is not the Big Ten.
How serious are the Rich Gannon’s concerns for J.J. McCarthy
In 10 starts for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025, McCarthy completed just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with 72.6 passer rating. That placed him near the bottom of qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage and on-target rate.
He also ranked poorly in efficiency metrics and showed a tendency to force the ball or hold it too long, contributing to turnovers and sacks. Career numbers through Week 6 of 2026 remain modest having 57.2% completion, 12 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, and a 74.0 rating across 12 games.
Film and coaching analysis from his Vikings tenure pointed to mechanical inconsistencies, delayed processing, and difficulty slowing the game down under pressure. McCarthy himself acknowledged overthinking mechanics and decision-making at times. These are precisely the areas Gannon flagged. Accuracy and anticipation issues that stem from late eyes, late feet, and incomplete mastery of protections and progressions.
Gannon’s caution is grounded in observable performance rather than pure speculation. The accuracy, processing, and anticipation issues he described showed up clearly in 2025 and have not been fully erased by one strong fourth-quarter flash. For a team counting on McCarthy as its starter the rest of the way, those remain legitimate risks.
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