Another Ex-Vikings Player Joins Forces with J.J. McCarthy in New York

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Another Ex-Vikings Player Joins Forces with J.J. McCarthy in New York

Another Ex-Vikings Player Joins Forces with J.J. McCarthy in New York — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

K. Joudry · Vikings Territory

Tue, Oct 27, 2026 ·

3 min read

Ex-Vikings D-Lineman Now a Giant

Do the tally and there are a few former Minnesota Vikings earning a living as New York Giants. Check it out:

QB J.J. McCarthy

DL Dean Lowry

WR Dontae Fleming (PS)

Evidently, the Giants have some fondness for former Vikings players. At 4-2-1, New York boasts a pretty decent shot at winning the division and getting into the postseason. I, for one, would be thrilled to see a Vikings v. Giants playoff game where McCarthy gets the chance to torch his former team.

Oct 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy (18) warms up before a game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Turning back the clock to the season before McCarthy's arrival means seeing the year that Dean Lowry played in the Twin Cities.

At the time, Brian Flores had just been hired and hopes were skyrocketing for what the Vikings could become. A young upstart named Kevin O'Connell led his Vikings to an impressive 13-4 record in '22 before getting bounced in the opening round of the playoffs, largely due to the Ed Donatell defense being horrible (somewhat ironically at the hands of the Giants).

So, the pivot toward Coach Flores was met with celebration all the way from Grand Forks to Rochester (for good reason; Flores, as expected, has proven to be an elite coach).

Lowry was being leaned on to offer some pass rushing sizzle from the interior. His job was to work off of Marcus Davenport and Danielle Hunter to shake free from overwhelmed guards. Doing so would also mean playing off Harrison Phillips (remember him?), the run-stuffing DT who has never been mistaken for Kevin Williams.

But while he was hired to menace the passer, Dean Lowry did the exact opposite. His lonely season in the Twin Cities was an abject failure since he failed to register a sack. Worse yet, he didn't even have a single quarterback hit. A team can't help but feel somewhat disappointed when the pass rushing presence does poor work at rushing the passer.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles

Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dean Lowry (94) and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (97) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

As things stand, the Vikings are a 6-0 football team, mostly due to the terrific work from that Coach Flores crew. What may still be needed, though, is further help in the trenches.

The NFL is currently digesting the slobberknocker of a trade between the Colts and Seahawks that sees Quenton Nelson — a monster — getting scooped up in Seattle. Is DeForest Buckner next? If so, are the Vikings in the mix ?

The 6-0 Vikings will soon face the 4-2 Lions in a Week 8 game at Ford Field. Win or lose, the Vikings will remain in the league's trade chatter.

Meanwhile, Dean Lowry's Giants will be looking to continue overcoming some long odds while rallying around trade pickup J.J. McCarthy.

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