Everyone was ready to write off J.J. McCarthy after a less-than-ideal start to his career with the Minnesota Vikings. Sometimes, though, a player just doesn't fit well with an organization, and after the way McCarthy played in 11 minutes for his new team, the New York Giants, on Sunday, the Vikings simply weren't a good fit for him.
Two weeks after being traded to the Giants to help a quarterback room that just lost starter Jaxson Dart, McCarthy finally got his first real task of action in New York, and he nearly led an improbable comeback. After coming in with the Giants down 34-10 to the New Orleans Saints, McCarthy scored three touchdowns in 11 minutes, making history.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, McCarthy's 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter are the most passing yards in the fourth quarter by any NFL player this season, and the second-most of any quarterback who didn't start the game in the last 25 seasons.
#Giants QB J.J. McCarthy threw for 243 yards in the 4th quarter despite coming off the bench. It’s the most passing yards in a 4th quarter by any player this season and the 2nd-most passing yards in a 4th quarter by any QB who didn't start over the last 25 seasons.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 18, 2026
Now, I get it: the Vikings are undefeated and probably aren't missing McCarthy. However, McCarthy threw more passing yards in the fourth quarter than any Vikings quarterback has in an entire game this season, except for Kyler Murray against the Miami Dolphins, and even then, Murray only surpassed his passing-yardage total by four yards.
J.J. McCarthy could create a quarterback competition in New York next season
I could be getting ahead of myself here, as we are just five games into the season and the Giants have been adamant about Dart being their guy, but McCarthy's fourth-quarter performance has to raise the question: could he make a play to be the starter next season?
The performance was impressive; there is no doubt about that, but if McCarthy wants to make a play for the Giants starter role next season, he needs to prove it the rest of this season. It can't be argued that McCarthy came in and made the best of his opportunity on Sunday, especially since he replaced Jameis Winston in what many believed was just garbage time.
It truly was garbage time, but McCarthy really made the Saints sweat with his play, and he could have just earned the starting role going forward. It is hard to believe that head coach John Harbaugh will go back to Winston after that performance from McCarthy, but crazier things have happened.
If McCarthy is named the starter going forward, strong play the rest of the season, especially in an NFC East division that none of the four teams seem eager to win, could create a quarterback problem for the Giants.
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