John Harbaugh remains mum on QBs after benching Jameis Winston

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Giants HC John Harbaugh remains mum on QBs after benching Jameis Winston for J.J. McCarthy in loss to Saints

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Oct 18, 2026 6:12 PM ET

Is it J.J. McCarthy time for the New York Giants?

Trailing the New Orleans Saints 34-10 early in the fourth quarter of a Week 6 home game, Giants head coach John Harbaugh benched quarterback Jameis Winston in favor of McCarthy. Winston completed 14-of-26 passes for 152 yards, tossing one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

After throwing an interception on his first pass, McCarthy rebounded. The Giants scored 17 straight points and could've sent the game into overtime if they'd converted on a 4th-and-1 at the Saints' 14-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. Despite McCarthy nearly leading New York to an improbable comeback win, Harbaugh isn't ready to rearrange the depth chart after the 34-27 loss.

John Harbaugh talks QB situation

"I can't answer that now. The game just ended 10 minutes ago," Harbaugh said when asked if McCarthy will replace Winston in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. "Like I said, I can't answer it now. That's not even up for conversation or discussion right now."

John Harbaugh says now is not the time to make a QB decision. He still believes in Jameis Winston. The quarterbacks will be judged on performance. pic.twitter.com/p7gw9VomTB
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 18, 2026

Harbaugh and his staff will have plenty to discuss. Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, is more experienced than 2024 No. 10 pick McCarthy, but he has struggled with turnovers since assuming QB1 duties for an injured Jaxson Dart (knee). Over his past four games, Winston has thrown seven TD passes and four interceptions, posting a below-average 84.3 passer rating.

"That's a decision that [Harbaugh will] have to make," Winston said postgame. "What I would love is to put myself in a better position to execute."

Jameis Winston was asked what John Harbaugh should think about while deciding a starter for next week:

"That's a decision that he'll have to make... what I would love is to put myself in a better position to execute" pic.twitter.com/9vAQbYiqJF
— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) October 18, 2026

Benching Winston and starting McCarthy doesn't make the Dart-less Giants a much better team on paper. In 2025, the 23-year-old went 6-4 as a starter for the Minnesota Vikings but threw more interceptions (12) than TD passes (11). After he couldn't keep the QB2 job in Minnesota, the NFC North squad dealt him to New York in September.

McCarthy, though, provided a spark on Sunday. He averaged 11.6 yards per pass, while Winston averaged 5.8. Harbaugh may feel McCarthy's ability to stretch the field vertically adds a new element to New York's offense. One that could keep the Giants (3-2-1) in the early postseason hunt.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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