by John Lavers
On Sunday Night Football in week one of the 2026 NFL season, the New York Giants showed promise for the first time in years. They took down their rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, 28-20, with an offense that looked like it could compete with the best in the league. However, promise turned to problem when second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season.
Early in the first quarter, Dart’s pass just missed his target, setting up 4th down. When the camera cut back, he was on the ground, grabbing his knee. Jameis Winston took over at quarterback, but struggled throughout the night, leading to the Giants losing 28-6 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Junior Robbie Stein, an avid Giants fan, said, “I was pretty mad because I thought we were going to be good.”
The Giants played their third game against one of the worst teams in the league, the Tennessee Titans. While New York squeezed by with a 12-7 win, the offense produced no touchdowns, and Winston’s performance left a lot to be desired. The Giants needed a quarterback.
Trading for a QB in the middle of the season is often difficult, with teams reluctant to give up a key position to their team. Often, teams have to trade for higher-end backups. Some options were floated around, including Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts and Mac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers. The Giants ended up trading for J.J. McCarthy, the third-string QB for the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy is not like most bench players; he is one of the most infamous players in the league. As the University of Michigan’s QB on their road to the 2023 College Football Playoff Championship, the Vikings used a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft to select him. McCarthy missed his first season with an injury, but in his second, he was named Minnesota’s starter. During a press conference at the start of last season, he gave himself the nickname “nine”, and throughout the season he went viral for several arrogant moments. That would have been fine, if not for his poor play. In week one of the 2025 season, he had a huge comeback victory against the Chicago Bears, but his accuracy and arm strength issues became more prominent as the season progressed. He was widely considered one of the worst QBs in the league. Now, he gets a second chance with the Giants.
Junior Ross Cestaro said, “JJ McCarthy is trash, but he should add some competition to the QB room”
While McCarthy gives the Giants another option at quarterback, Dart’s injury still leaves questions about the future. The biggest challenge will be keeping the team competitive while Dart is recovering. Winston has plenty of NFL experience, but the Giants were building around Dart. McCarthy will also have to adjust to a new team and prove that he can contribute if his number is called.
The Giants will have to wait until Dart returns to see if he can continue developing into their future quarterback. Until then, Winston and McCarthy will have to try to keep this season on track.
