By Jyesha Nance
Many couldn’t wait to see what John Harbaugh could accomplish with a healthy, gritty, and revamped New York Giants team in his first season as head coach.
All seemed well as the Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys, delivering a great performance in the Week 1 Sunday Night Football game and showing just how competitive the NFC East is.
The Giants returned a healthy and hard-nosed running back in Cam Skattebo and star wide receiver Malik Nabers, who both saw their 2025 season end prematurely due to injury. They also added Francis Mauigoa, a promising rookie offensive lineman, and Isaiah Likely, who serves as a major weapon in the passing game, along with other offensive pieces for quarterback Jaxon Dart to receive his touchdown passes while also being protected.
However, during Monday Night Football in Week 2, Dart exited the game early in the first quarter after taking a shot to the knee and did not return. On Sept. 23, it was confirmed that Dart’s injury was worse than expected and he would miss the remainder of the season.
Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston took over for the remainder of the game. He serves as Dart’s backup, while the only other quarterback in the organization is Jake Haener, who was on the practice squad but was elevated as Winston’s backup in Week 3.
Despite being a veteran, Winston struggled against the Los Angeles Rams and barely escaped the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 with a 12-7 win. Ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, the Giants acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick.
The Giants waived Haener following the trade, though he’ll likely return to the practice squad, leaving McCarthy to back up Winston against the Cardinals. This move offers the 23-year-old a fresh start in his third NFL season, reuniting him with the Harbaugh family after his national championship run under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan in 2023; he’ll now play for John with the Giants.
McCarthy struggled during his 2025 campaign with the Vikings, throwing 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, and he had been sitting third on the depth chart behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz this season. At 2-1, the Giants are hoping this roster adjustment keeps them competitive, though it remains to be seen if or when McCarthy will see the field.