McCarthy forgoes signature eye black in Giants debut vs. Texans over Ohio State grudge

New York Giants starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy opted against his signature eye black for his debut against the Houston Texans on Sunday, a decision rooted in a perceived slight from Ohio State during his high school recruitment.

McCarthy, acquired by the Giants from Minnesota after an injury to Jaxson Dart, felt he was misled by Ohio State during the recruiting process. This sentiment has fueled a personal rivalry that extends to games involving players or coaches with ties to the Buckeyes.

“It is a little corny,” McCarthy admitted. “It is for sure. But I guess I’m a corny guy. I took it personal in high school, growing up an Ohio State fan, like a diehard Ohio State fan — had the comforter, had the fatheads, everything.”

He stated that this tradition of forgoing eye black is specifically reserved for opponents connected to Ohio State, including former Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud, former Ohio State player Kyle McCord, and potentially Ohio State head coach Ryan Day if he were to enter the NFL.

During his tenure at Michigan, McCarthy won all three matchups against Ohio State and secured a national championship before being selected 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Vikings.

McCarthy took over as the Giants' starter in Week 6, replacing a benched Jameis Winston. In his first full game as the starter against the Texans, he completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards. This performance followed a strong fourth quarter in the previous week's game against the Saints, where he threw for 243 yards in a near comeback victory.

“We play in the entertainment business and I can see how that gets a lot of traction, but at the end of the day, it’s just something I hold near and dear to my heart,” McCarthy said about his practice of removing eye black for games with Ohio State connections.