McCarthy Will Wear No. 18 for Giants After Vikings Trade

J.J. McCarthy will wear No. 18 for the New York Giants, giving up the No. 9 he wore at Michigan and with the Minnesota Vikings, according to the team's roster page cited by the New York Post.

Tight end Isaiah Likely already holds No. 9 on the Giants' roster, forcing the switch after Minnesota traded McCarthy this week. Whether McCarthy will keep his old nickname tied to the number remains unclear, the Post reported.

Why Did McCarthy Change From No. 9 to No. 18?

The number swap came down to roster math, not choice. Likely, a tight end already on New York's roster, has No. 9 locked up. McCarthy, 24, will take No. 18 instead as he joins the Giants three seasons after Minnesota drafted him 10th overall in 2024.

What Led to the Giants-Vikings Trade?

Minnesota moved on from McCarthy after trading for quarterback Kyler Murray, a deal that pushed McCarthy to third on the depth chart behind Murray and Carson Wentz, per the Post. That demotion effectively ended his path to significant playing time in Minnesota and set up the trade to New York.

The Giants, meanwhile, needed a quarterback after Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, according to the Post's report. McCarthy fills that void immediately.

How Did McCarthy Perform With the Vikings?

McCarthy missed his entire rookie season in 2024. He returned in 2025 to a season the Post described as "up-and-down." He went 6-4 as a starter while playing through an ankle sprain and a fracture in his right hand.

His passing numbers lagged behind the rest of the league. McCarthy threw 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, completed 57.6% of his passes, and posted a 72.6 quarterback rating — the lowest mark among the NFL's 33 qualified quarterbacks that season, according to the Post.

By the Numbers

• 6-4 — McCarthy's record as Minnesota's starter in 2025
• 11 TD, 12 INT — his touchdown-to-interception ratio last season
• 57.6% — completion percentage in 2025
• 72.6 — quarterback rating, worst among 33 qualified NFL passers
• 10th overall — his draft slot in 2024
• No. 3 — his spot on Minnesota's depth chart after the Kyler Murray trade

Why Do the Giants Need a Quarterback Now?

Dart's knee injury in Week 2 left New York without its starter for the rest of the season, the Post reported. McCarthy arrives as a former top-10 pick with starting experience, giving the Giants a veteran option at a position they otherwise lacked depth at heading into the trade.

What Is McCarthy's Nickname "Nine" About?

The number 9 had taken on its own identity around McCarthy well before the trade. In a press conference last November, McCarthy described an on-field alter ego he calls "Nine."

"I call him Nine," McCarthy said, according to the Post. "Nine comes out, and I gotta understand, like, OK, he can't be at his peak performance throughout three and a half hours. So how do I find little ways on the sideline, get back to my breath, get back to my visualization, that can kind of maintain that intense, competitive stamina throughout the whole game? It's just the pure will, determination to get the job done."

The explanation turned into a recurring reference in football circles on social media, the Post noted. With Likely holding the number in New York, McCarthy will have to decide whether "Nine" travels with him under a different jersey number or gets retired along with the digit itself.

What's Next for McCarthy and the Giants?

McCarthy joins a Giants team already mid-season, with the immediate question being how quickly he can take over quarterback duties behind Dart's absence. His track record — a middling statistical season in Minnesota paired with real starting experience — leaves open questions about performance in a new offense.

What to Watch

• Whether McCarthy starts right away or eases in behind another option on New York's depth chart
• How the Giants' offensive scheme adapts to McCarthy's skill set compared with Dart's
• Whether Minnesota's Murray-Wentz pairing at quarterback stabilizes after the trade
• If McCarthy's completion percentage and turnover rate improve outside Minnesota's system

For now, the jersey number is settled. The performance question is not.

Read the original report at the New York Post.

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