JJ McCarthy's Maturity Stood Out to Giants Coaches in First Start

Vincent Rapisardi

2 days ago

3 min read

Updated: 12 hours ago

Published Oct 29, 2026, 8:15 AM ET | By Vincent Rapisardi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pePmC5I_zMs

Key points

Multiple Giants coaches told SNY's Connor Hughes that JJ McCarthy was "so mature" and "so calm throughout the game" in Sunday's win at Houston.
Hughes noted that maturity had been an issue for McCarthy in Minnesota.
McCarthy went 20 of 28 for 252 yards with no interceptions in the 27-21 overtime win.

JJ McCarthy's first start for the Giants made an impression inside the building. Multiple Giants coaches told SNY's Connor Hughes that the quarterback was "so mature" and "so calm" in the 27-21 overtime win over the Texans.

Big Blue Film Room shared Hughes' report on X: "He was so mature. ... He was so calm throughout the game." Hughes reached out to the coaches after Sunday's win, and he noted that maturity had been an issue for McCarthy in Minnesota.

Hughes also discussed the win with The Athletic's Dan Duggan on SNY's NYG411. The coaches' message points to something that never shows up in a box score.

Why the Giants Keyed on JJ McCarthy's Composure

McCarthy came over in a trade with Minnesota and got the Week 7 start after his fourth-quarter showing against the Saints. We covered that decision in Giants to Start JJ McCarthy vs Texans After Fourth-Quarter Rally.

John Harbaugh's postgame praise focused on the operation, not the highlights. "There were no procedural penalties. We had no issues with the clock running down. We had no formation issues," he said, per Giants.com.

"All the checks were made really well," Harbaugh added. "I thought he did a great job."

Harbaugh also spoke about what McCarthy went through before New York. "He has scars. He's been wounded," he said. "But you heal stronger, and you become better because of it."

What JJ McCarthy Said After His First Giants Win

McCarthy sounded like the player his coaches described. "Truly the only stat I care about is going 1-0," he said after the game.

He also reflected on climbing from third on the depth chart to the starting job. "A beautiful thing that was said in chapel one time was, 'Don't ask why, ask what's next,'" McCarthy said.

And he wasn't satisfied. "This feels great," he said, adding that the team has to "find ways to get better."

By the Numbers: JJ McCarthy's First Start With the Giants

Stat	Week 7 at Houston
Completions	20 of 28
Passing yards	252
Yards per attempt	9.0
Interceptions	0
Passer rating	99.1

Source: ESPN box score.

It wasn't flawless. McCarthy didn't throw a touchdown pass, and all four Giants touchdowns came on the ground.

Devin Singletary won it with a 30-yard run in overtime, as we covered in Giants vs Texans Final Score: Singletary's OT Run Wins It, 27-21.

What Comes Next for JJ McCarthy and the Giants

The 4-2-1 Giants lead the NFC East and are off this week. McCarthy's second start comes Nov. 8 at Philadelphia.

The bye gives him two full weeks of practice in the offense. The coaches will want the same calm against a division rival.

Our Take: Calm Is What the Giants Needed From JJ McCarthy

I said after Sunday's win that the Giants have themselves a quarterback. Hearing his coaches talk about his maturity only backs that up.

I've also said McCarthy was given about five minutes to prove himself in Minnesota. A meme did a lot of unfair damage to his reputation, and people ignored how well he played down the stretch last season.

If maturity really was the knock on him with the Vikings, Sunday was a strong first answer. His coaches saw it, and so did everybody watching.

That matters at quarterback. A young passer who stays calm on the road, in a close game that went to overtime, gives a team something to build around.

It's one start, and Philadelphia will be a tougher test. But I'm really happy for him, and I like where this is going.

Want more Giants coverage? Catch up on all of our latest articles here on the site, and follow @BigBlueFilmRoom on X for every Giants update as it breaks.

About Big Blue Film Room: Big Blue Film Room is an independent New York Giants news site delivering daily news, injury updates and game recaps. We credit and link to the original reporting behind every story, and we correct errors promptly under our Editorial Standards. Learn more about who we are and how we report on our About page.