Coach John Harbaugh later confirmed the news.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be starting J.J. in the game,\u201d he said to local reporters Wednesday. \u201cJameis will be the backup and Jake [Haener] will be the No. 3 emergency quarterback.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCarthy, 23, was selected by the Vikings with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but after an up-and-down two-plus-year tenure in Minnesota<\/a>, the Vikings traded him to the Giants in late September. The third-year pro now has a change of scenery in New York, plus what looks like a runway to resuscitate his once-promising career.<\/p>\n But is this the right move for the Giants, who are still firmly in the mix to not only make the playoffs, but potentially win the NFC East? Here\u2019s the argument for and against New York starting McCarthy at quarterback.<\/p>\n Why starting J.J. McCarthy is the right move J.J. McCarthy nearly led the Giants to a win over the Saints last Sunday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n The Giants trailed by three scores when they turned to McCarthy in the second half of Sunday\u2019s game against the Saints, with the deficit growing to 34\u201310 before New Orleans opted to pull its starters. Then, just as he did in his first career start with the Vikings two years ago, McCarthy pulled some magic out of his hat<\/a>\u2014nearly leading the Giants on a fourth-quarter comeback for the ages.<\/p>\n After throwing an interception on his first possession under center, McCarthy led New York on three consecutive scoring drives in the final frame, cutting the Saints\u2019 lead to just seven points with 1:55 remaining. Then, after the Giants forced a three-and-out, they got the ball back with less than a minute to go and marched 57 yards in seven plays before a turnover on downs ultimately ended their bid for a win. Despite playing only five drives, McCarthy finished 11-for-21 for 243 yards, one touchdown, an interception, and a passer rating of 90.0.\u00a0<\/p>\n McCarthy’s Giants debut was promising, and after Winston failed to show consistent week-over-week improvement, it makes sense for the team to hand him the offensive reins moving forward. McCarthy\u2019s mobility should give coordinator Matt Nagy more opportunities to open up the offense\u2014particularly in the run game\u2014and his near-instant chemistry with wide receiver Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely should only continue to grow with a full week of practice and game preparation.<\/p>\n Plus, the front office just sent their 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings in exchange for McCarthy. With another year left on his rookie contract, the Giants need to find out what they have in the 23-year-old sooner rather than later\u2014especially with Dart likely returning to full health by the start of next season.<\/p>\n Why starting J.J. McCarthy is the wrong move J.J. McCarthy will make his first start for the Giants in Week 7. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n All that said, McCarthy has learned Nagy\u2019s system in less than a month, and only in a backup role\u2014meaning he\u2019s gotten minimal first-team reps and likely spent more time with the scout team.<\/p>\n Just last week, Giants quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan was asked how he felt about McCarthy\u2019s ability to run their offense if necessary.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be fair to him, you definitely would make sure he\u2019s got a good solid amount of plays that he feels great about,\u201d he explained<\/a>. \u201cAnd there may be some things that [since] he\u2019s a little bit newer \u2026 you stay away from. But I would say, for the most part, I feel pretty good about him being able to operate a game plan at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n ORR: Why Keeping J.J. McCarthy on the Bench Is the Smart Long-Term Move for the Giants<\/a><\/p>\n![\"J.J.](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m5g1ewvjz7ndecswyc.jpg\" "\\"J.J.")
<\/p>\n![\"J.J.](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m5g1g8fm10xvf0wf63.jpg\" "\\"J.J.")
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