Kevin O’Connell called it a “tough day” after his Vikings traded J.J. McCarthy to the Giants, moving on from the 2024 10th overall pick.
News broke early Monday morning that the former Michigan starter was heading to the Big Apple in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick — a small price to pay for the Giants, who are in need of a backup with Jaxson Dart out for the season following knee surgery.
O’Connell addressed the trade during his press conference at the Vikings facility, saying he “care[s] about him” and has “tremendous respect” for McCarthy as a player and a person.
“I’ve just had the chance to spend time with him this morning, which was emotional, and our relationship means a lot to me,” the Vikings head coach said. “I believe it means a lot to him, and I was just really thankful to have that time one-on-one with him. These situations are never easy. From a standpoint of being the head coach, you understand hard decisions in the NFL. I understand them firsthand, going back a long way for me personally, but at the same time, it’s always going to be about the relationship.”
McCarthy’s time in Minnesota has been far from what either side had expected when the Vikings took him in 2024, but the aftermath of the trade was still a feeling that was being processed for O’Connell.
“Today’s a tough day. Nothing about this changes the way I feel about J.J. or the hopes I have for him,” he said. “I think it’s a good opportunity in New York and, as I told him, I’ll be pulling for him like crazy to see him go and do well, and apply a lot of the things that we talked about over his period of time here.”
McCarthy will not jump into any sort of starter role in New York, with Giants head coach John Harbaugh — the brother of McCarthy’s college head coach Jim Harbaugh — telling reporters Monday afternoon that Jameis Winston will start this upcoming weekend against the Cardinals.
