The New York Giants pulled off a surprising trade and landed quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The trade came as a shocker for the MLB fans as well as for McCarthy himself.
The Michigan alum admitted his trade from the Minnesota Vikings came as a surprise. However, he is already focused on making the most of his new opportunity.
“When I got the call here, it was a shock. I didn't anticipate it, but at the end of the day, it's an opportunity,” McCarthy said in his first comments since the trade via ESPN. “It's an opportunity to take advantage of. And I love these guys already, and I can't wait to do it for them.”
The Giants acquired McCarthy from Minnesota for a 2027 fifth-round pick after the former No. 10 overall pick spent more than two seasons with the Vikings.
Article Continues BelowMcCarthy’s time in Minnesota never developed as expected. He missed his rookie season after suffering a meniscus injury in the preseason and made 10 starts in 2025. He went 6-4 in those games while completing 57.6% of his passes, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March and eventually named him their starter after an open competition with McCarthy. The star QB also spent time behind Carson Wentz before the Vikings traded him to New York.
The Giants entered the surprising trade after QB Jaxson Dart unfortunately suffered a season-ending knee injury. Now that he is on IR, Jameis Winston remains New York’s other starter, while McCarthy spent his first week with the team working on the scout team and learning the offense.