# John Harbaugh: Starting J.J. McCarthy is the plan going forward

> Giants switch QB to J.J. McCarthy for Sunday's Texans game.
- Title: John Harbaugh: Starting J.J. McCarthy is the plan going…
- Summary: Giants switch QB to J.J. McCarthy for Sunday's Texans game. Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed J.J. McCarthy will start against the Texans after…
- Keywords: giants, j.j. mccarthy, jameis winston, new orleans saints, texans, nfl, sports, John, Harbaugh, Starting, McCarthy, plan
- Source: NBC Sports — https://nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/john-harbaugh-starting-j-j-mccarthy-is-the-plan-going-forward
- Published: 2026-10-21T19:36:10.018+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: giants, j.j. mccarthy, jameis winston, new orleans saints, texans, nfl, sports
## Giants switch QB
Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed at a Wednesday press conference that the team is making a change at quarterback and starting J.J. McCarthy against the Texans on Sunday.
## McCarthy replaces Winston
McCarthy will replace Jameis Winston, who started the last four games and helped the Giants to a 2-1-1 record.
## Winston's last game
The one loss came against New Orleans last weekend and Winston was benched after throwing two interceptions.
## McCarthy's performance
McCarthy led the Giants to 17 points in the fourth quarter of the 34-27 loss.
## Harbaugh's reasoning
Harbaugh said the decision was based on 'what gives us the best chance to play the best offense we can.'

> what gives us the best chance to play the best offense we can
## Harbaugh's plan
Harbaugh noted unforeseen circumstances often crop up but said he does not plan to revisit the decision on a weekly basis.

> Life is day-to-day, minute-to-minute. There’s really no guarantees. I would never say that anything is permanent in football or life. That’s the plan going forward.
## Key takeaway

Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed J.J. McCarthy will start against the Texans after Jameis Winston was benched following two interceptions in a loss to New Orleans.