There is now a fairly common, if somewhat circuitous, path to quarterback success in the NFL.
Get drafted high by your first NFL team, bomb out with that team for whatever reasons, wander the desert as a backup with other franchises for a while, find the right environment after all you've learned, and whammo — all of a sudden, you're a credible starting quarterback!
It's worked in the last few years for Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Daniel Jones, and J.J. McCarthy may be the next name on the list.
The Minnesota Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft — in fact, they traded up to do so — and it never worked out. Between injuries and McCarthy's own lack of development and established skills as an NFL-level prospect, it became very clear that Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell — one of the brightest offensive minds in the league, and the man who had helped to facilitate Darnold's and Jones' career turnarounds — would not be the one to transform McCarthy from college game manager (McCarthy's Michigan teams were led by great defense and a powerful rushing attack) to NFL franchise guy.
Which is why the Vikings traded McCarthy to the Giants on September 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick. That's how far McCarthy's stock had fallen — he was the team's third-string quarterback behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz — and the Giants were just trying to settle things at the game's most important position after Jaxson Dart suffered meniscus and MCL injuries in his left knee in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams. Suddenly, Big Blue needed depth behind Jameis Winston, and McCarthy just needed a fresh start.
That fresh start came quite unexpectedly in the Giants' 34-27 Week 6 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Winston threw an interception with 12:28 left in the game, and the G-Men were down 34-10 after putting up a 10-0 early lead. Head coach John Harbaugh put McCarthy in to get some kind of spark going, not suspecting that he was unleashing something far more nuclear in nature. In less than a full fourth quarter, McCarthy completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a passer rating of 90.0. He wasn't doing this with quick throws and yards after the catch — McCarthy had several explosive downfield throws that were right on the money.
McCarthy made Secret Superstars in Week 6 for that performance , and he was named the starter for the Giants' Week 7 game against the Houston Texans. DeMeco Ryans' Texans defense is not what it was in 2025 — perhaps the NFL's best — but it was still a serious test.
Which McCarthy passed with relatively flying colors. He was eager to show off what he had learned, and McCarthy's connection with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, senior offensive assistant Greg Roman, and passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan. Very few people were excited about those hires this past offseason, but it's all worked out very well in McCarthy's favor.
Against the Texans, McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 99.1 in a 27-21 overtime win. The Giants leaned heavily on the run game, but McCarthy was throwing darts again. Moreover, you started to see the development of the route concepts, and how they helped McCarthy do what he can at this point in his career.
Not that O'Connell didn't build concepts for his quarterbacks — of course he did — but sometimes, a new environment makes all the difference.
"Preparation," McCarthy said after the Texans game, when asked how the tight-window throws have been such a big part of his recent performances. "I feel like preparation, over the years of playing football, you just refine the routine each and every week. I feel like I'm in a really good spot right now, just Monday through Saturday and just being able to have that trust in these guys as early as now, since I've been here. I haven't been here long, but I trust those guys every time the ball comes out of my hand. I trust the offensive line up front. I trust the backs are going to get us in great situations when I do hit the checkdowns, but at the end of the day, it's the players around me."
Now, the 4-2-1 Giants prepare to face a 2-6 Philadelphia Eagles team that has been an epic disappointment for all kinds of reasons, and the extent to which Vic Fangio's defense has fallen down is truly surprising. On Tuesday, Fangio spoke about the Giants, and about McCarthy specifically.
"They've got a really good offense. They've got skill at the receiving position. They did a nice job raiding the Ravens, not only for John [Harbaugh], but for [TE Isaiah] Likely and [FB Patrick] Ricard. They've got a lot of the Ravens-type offense that they had when Greg [Roman] was there, and they've intermixed Kansas City-type passing in there with Matt [Nagy]. They've got it going right now. They've got good wideouts, good tight ends, two good backs. The quarterback has come in, in a short period of time, and really done a nice job, for them to get him for a [fifth-round] pick is a steal."
If McCarthy continues to tell his own reclamation story this season, and even leads the NFC East-leading Giants to the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 season, it will open up a new chapter in his career.
For now, Harbaugh and his crew will just enjoy the unexpected benefits.
