J.J. McCarthy said earlier this week that being traded from the Minnesota Vikings to the New York Giants was a shock, but he is treating the move as a new opportunity.
"When I got the call here, it was a shock," McCarthy said. "I didn't anticipate it, but at the end of the day, it's an opportunity."
The Giants acquired McCarthy for a fifth-round pick after he spent two-plus years in Minnesota. The Vikings drafted him in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL draft, but now he is in New York trying to get up to speed quickly as the team adjusts its quarterback room.
That adjustment matters. Jaxson Dart was recently lost for the rest of the season, and Jameis Winston remains the starter. McCarthy was preparing for the Giants' game against the Arizona Cardinals this week, and he also worked with the scout team as he learned the offense.
McCarthy said the transition is about staying locked in on the next step. "There's a multitude of things you could think of [why it didn't work out], but at the end of the day, it's all in the past," he said. "And all I care about is what's important now -- that next rep, that next meeting, that next game. And that's really all I'm focused on."
The 2024 first-round pick also made clear he is comfortable with the Harbaugh family connection. McCarthy played for Jim Harbaugh at the University of Michigan and won a national championship there, and he said he has long respected the Harbaugh approach. "Absolutely love the Harbaugh family," McCarthy said. "They're made of the right stuff. Faith, family, football."
John Harbaugh said his brother had good things to say about McCarthy as both a quarterback and a person, and added that McCarthy "practiced the things we asked him to do" while learning the system. He also said McCarthy worked hard to absorb the offense and seemed to handle the learning curve the way the team expected.
For the Giants, the deal is less about immediate star power and more about adding another quarterback option at a time when the depth chart has already changed. For McCarthy, it is a fresh start with a clear role: learn quickly, stay ready and make the most of the chance in front of him.
McCarthy said that is exactly how he intends to approach it. "At the end of the day, nobody knows," he said. "I had it my rookie year, and it absolutely sucks." He added that he feels for Brian Burns, who went on IR this week, and said he is doing his best to make an impact.
