Published October 21, 2026 06:38 PM
J.J. McCarthy was drafted 10th overall in 2024 to be the quarterback for the Vikings, but his path to a long run as a starter in the NFL now goes through New Jersey.
McCarthy will make his first start for the Giants in Sunday’s game against the Texans and he could have an 11-game run to show the entire league what he’s capable of doing. McCarthy said on Wednesday that he sees the move to the first team as “a chance to prove yourself” and that he feels more prepared for the job than he was when he took over as the Vikings’ starter at the start of last season.
McCarthy said that he gained knowledge about “the nature of NFL football” in 10 starts between injuries for the Vikings and is confident he’ll be able to handle things better despite only being with the Giants for a few weeks.
“I believe just experience does wonders,” McCarthy said, via a transcript from the team. “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 to the last seconds of each game.”
Jaxson Dart is still the long-term plan at quarterback for the Giants, but there will be a market for McCarthy if he shows the skills that made him a top pick two years ago and he now has to make the most of his chance to display them.