Jim Harbaugh Advised Brother John on J.J. McCarthy Trade

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed he spoke with his brother, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh, prior to the Giants' trade for quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Giants acquired McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a fifth-round pick on Monday.

Jim Harbaugh stated that his brother John called him for his opinion on the potential move. "I said, 'You know, John, I love you. I love J.J. I think you guys would be —' so, really, I’m telling you the same thing that I told my brother," Jim Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday.

McCarthy, a standout quarterback at Michigan, led the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff national championship during the 2023-24 season. In that championship year, he threw for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions, while leading the Big Ten in completion percentage at 72.3 percent.

His transition to the NFL has been more challenging. Selected 10th overall by the Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to knee surgery for a torn meniscus. In the 2025 season, he started in 10 games for the Vikings, who had a 6-4 record in those contests. However, he threw 12 interceptions against 11 touchdowns and completed 57.6 percent of his passes, registering a passer rating of 72.6, which was the lowest among qualified quarterbacks in the league that year.

McCarthy has not taken a snap this season, serving as the third quarterback behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz on the Vikings' depth chart.

In his first practice with the Giants on Wednesday, McCarthy reportedly took third-team reps behind starter Jameis Winston and practice-squad quarterback Jake Haener. John Harbaugh expressed optimism about McCarthy's addition earlier in the week, noting that general manager Joe Schoen and other scouts felt strongly about his potential as a viable option for the team.