‘I took it personal’: J.J. McCarthy explains holding onto grudge since college days
· Yahoo Sports
The New York Giants have found something in young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who has looked like a completely different player since arriving from the Minnesota Vikings via trade.
After an impressive fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints, McCarthy made his first start for the Giants on Sunday against the Houston Texans. The third-year pro went 20-for-28 through the air for 252 yards in the 27-21 overtime win.
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Fans noticed that McCarthy didn’t wear his iconic heavy eye-paint for the game, a look that stretches back to his days as the quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines.
“I kind of make this switch when game day happens,” McCarthy told ESPN last year about the look. “That’s when the war paint comes on. It’s like I’m ready to die on that field, and I’m ready to do anything possible to get that win. It’s not going to look pretty, and it’s not going to look like someone just did my makeup for Halloween. It’s war paint.”
Now, McCarthy is explaining why he didn’t sport the look on Sunday: his grudge against Ohio State, Michigan’s biggest rival and the alma mater of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
McCarthy never wore eye black when playing against Ohio State so that the Buckeyes could see him directly, and sported the look when facing Stroud again as pros.
“Yeah, it is a little corny,” McCarthy said on Tuesday about not wearing eye black against Houston, via The Athletic. “Don’t get me wrong, but … you know, I guess I’m a corny guy. I took it personal in high school, growing up an Ohio State fan, like a die-hard Ohio State fan. I had the comforter, had the Fatheads, everything. And (it was) just a little disappointing situation. (So) at the end of the day, that’s just something that I’ll continue against all Buckeyes.”
However, the grudge is against Stroud’s school, not the quarterback personally.
“I love C.J., too. He’s my guy, and you know, wish him nothing but success,” McCarthy said before confirming the eye black will return to his cheeks when the Giants play again in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles. “Yeah, it’s strictly just for like C.J., for sure. Maybe Kyle McCord … unless Ryan Day comes up to the NFL. But at the end of the day, it’s just a Michigan-Ohio State thing. That’s really all it is.”
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