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Giants May Elevate McCarthy to Backup QB for Week 5
Confirmed
In Short: Giants head coach John Harbaugh said Monday that newly acquired quarterback JJ McCarthy could potentially move up the depth chart to become the primary backup quarterback for the Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh said Monday that newly acquired quarterback JJ McCarthy could potentially move up the depth chart to become the primary backup quarterback for the Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders.
McCarthy, who missed his rookie season and struggled in his first 10 games last year, has had a rough start to his career. He threw for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in those 10 games.
Harbaugh emphasized that the team is focusing on one game at a time and is preparing McCarthy for the upcoming game against the Commanders.
Winston, who led the Giants to a 36-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4, expressed his gratitude for his current role and stated he is just starting to heat up.
Harbaugh explained that McCarthy was active against the Cardinals in case an opportunity arose to get him on the field, but Winston remained the starter.
The Giants will face the Washington Commanders on Sunday, October 11, 2026, and Harbaugh said the team will see how McCarthy performs during the week before making a final decision.
McCarthy's potential elevation to the backup role indicates that the coaching staff is pleased with his performance in practice and is willing to give him more responsibility.
Harbaugh's comments suggest that McCarthy could be ready to step in if Winston is injured, showing the team's confidence in his abilities.
Despite Winston's recent success, Harbaugh remains open to the possibility of McCarthy taking on a larger role in the near future.
What's confirmed
- Giants head coach John Harbaugh said Monday that the quarterback being the No. 2 behind Jameis Winston against the Washington Commanders is a "possibility" and something that's "on the table."
- The Vikings traded McCarthy for a fifth-round pick last week after Giants starting quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury.
- “We had enough guys playing special teams, and it just gave us an option in case we wanted to put J.J. out there to run certain plays that we had prepared for him,” Harbaugh said of the decision to activate McCarthy.
What's still developing
- The rocky start leaves McCarthy with a mental hurdle to overcome as he continues his development.
- "I'm just grateful for the opportunity I have now. Right now, I get to smile and say, 'I'm the starting QB for the New York Football Giants,'" Winston told reporters.
- "Focusing on what I would love is winning games with my team, being the best I could be. I'm heating up and I'm starting to get better and better. Last week, I was questioning if I could even throw. This week, I got people talking about the Jameis Winston Experience again."
- "We're just focusing on preparing for the next game, getting him ready for the Commanders game. That's really what we'll be looking to try to get accomplished."
- McCarthy as the team's third quarterback option for Sunday's Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, just a few days after he joined the franchise in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
- But as the Giants prepare for this coming Sunday's Week 5 matchup against the division-rival Washington Commanders, an upgrade could be on the horizon for McCarthy.
- "We'll see how it goes during the week, but that's definitely on the table." Winston completed 18 of his 29 pass attempts for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday's Week 4 win.
- McCarthy in a blockbuster trade, John Harbaugh is unlikely to throw the young quarterback into action during this stretch, as Jameis Winston is coming off a productive and currently holds the starting job.
- Injuries hit East Rutherford hard early in the season, forcing the New York Giants to quickly bring in a replacement for Jaxson Dart.
- The G-Men weren’t taking any chances, and had the opportunity presented itself, McCarthy would have taken the field at MetLife Stadium.
- Winston gave New York the full “Jameis experience” in the Giants’ 36-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, delivering a stat line as chaotic as it was effective: 18 of 29 passes completed (62.1%) for 250 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while taking 4 sacks.
- McCarthy looming in the background, Winston warned the Giants on QB changes by declaring he’s just starting to heat up and isn’t planning on giving up the starting job anytime soon.