J.J. McCarthy Makes First Giants Start Against Texans in Houston Sunday
The Giants' quarterback Sunday is not Jameis Winston. J.J. McCarthy, acquired from Minnesota on September 28, makes his first start for New York at noon CT in Houston after throwing for 243 fourth-quarter yards in relief against New Orleans.
The New York Giants will start J.J. McCarthy at quarterback on Sunday, October 25, against the Houston Texans, the Detroit Free Press reported, citing ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. McCarthy gets the start over Jameis Winston for the Week 7 game kicking off at noon Central in Houston. It is McCarthy's first start since January 4, when he helped the Minnesota Vikings to a 16-3 win over Green Bay in Week 18, the Free Press reported.
The change follows McCarthy's performance off the bench in the Giants' 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints on October 18, when he went 11-for-21 for 243 yards and a touchdown, with all of his attempts coming in the fourth quarter, the Free Press reported. Winston had started the previous four games for the NFC East-leading Giants (3-2-1) after Jaxson Dart injured his left knee in the season's second game and was ruled out for the season.
McCarthy's road to Houston ran through Minnesota. The Vikings drafted him No. 10 overall in 2024 after he led Michigan to a national title in the 2023 season, the Free Press reported. He sat out the entire 2024 season due to injury, then went 6-4 as a starter in 2025 while throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. After losing the starting job in 2026, he was traded to the Giants on September 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick, the Free Press reported.
For Houston, the assignment is a quarterback the Texans have not faced as a starter, behind a Giants team still looking for its first away win. New York head coach John Harbaugh confirmed the decision this week — "We will be starting JJ. Jameis will be the backup," the New York Post reported. The game-night file follows the final within 45 minutes.
