J.J. McCarthy gets his first start for the New York Giants three days after nearly erasing a 24-point deficit against New Orleans, as the team moves on from Jameis Winston.
J.J. McCarthy will start at quarterback for the New York Giants when they visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, head coach John Harbaugh announced after practice on Wednesday, October 21.
The move, first reported earlier in the day by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, replaces Jameis Winston, who had started all four games since franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2.
What J.J. McCarthy did against the Saints
J.J. McCarthy’s case was built in roughly 11 minutes of football. With the Giants trailing the New Orleans Saints 34-10 early in the fourth quarter on Sunday, October 18, Harbaugh pulled Winston after his second interception of the game and sent in McCarthy.
His first possession ended in an interception. After that, the offense came alive. McCarthy led three straight scoring drives, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely, and pulled New York within 34-27 in the final minute. His last throw, to Likely in the end zone, fell incomplete, and the Giants lost by seven.
- McCarthy: 11 of 21 passing, 243 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, plus 2 carries for 26 yards
- Winston: 14 of 26 passing, 152 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
McCarthy’s 26 rushing yards made him the Giants’ leading rusher for the day.
Why the Giants are turning to J.J. McCarthy now
Harbaugh declined to name a starter after the loss and again on Monday, when he said the team was “honing in on a decision.” He also said part of the reason for waiting was competitive advantage.
According to ESPN, the Giants settled on McCarthy largely because of his upside, and the team’s struggling ground game weighed on the decision. New York ranks 19th in the NFL in rushing at 104.8 yards per game, and the offense was built around the mobility of Dart. The belief inside the building is that McCarthy, a more athletic quarterback than Winston, can help restore the run game.
Notably, the Giants chose not to wait. Their bye week comes right after the Houston game, and some observers had expected the team to use that break to give McCarthy extra time to learn the offense before making the switch.
A tough first assignment
Houston will not make it easy for J.J. McCarthy. The Texans (2-4) entered the week third in the NFL with 18 sacks, led by edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, one of the most dangerous pass-rushing pairs in the league. On the other side, McCarthy will face C.J. Stroud, who was just named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Winston’s run as starter ends with a 2-1-1 record, including wins over the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals and a tie with the Washington Commanders. Even after Sunday’s loss, the Giants (3-2-1) sit alone in first place in the NFC East.
Who is J.J. McCarthy?
McCarthy, 23, was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after leading Michigan to a national championship under Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh’s brother. He missed what would have been his rookie season with a right knee injury, then started 10 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He is 6-4 as an NFL starter and has won his last four starts.
He lost the Vikings’ training camp competition to Kyler Murray this summer. The Giants acquired him on September 28 in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick, days after Dart’s injury. He moved up to backup by Week 5 and was used in occasional special packages before Sunday’s extended relief appearance.
What’s next
The Giants (3-2-1) play the Texans on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m. ET in Houston, with the game airing on Fox. Both teams have their bye the following week.
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