In his first start for the New York Giants, JJ McCarthy guided his team to an overtime victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. Interestingly, he did so without any eyeblack on his face, which is quite unusual for him. Normally, not wearing eyeblack wouldn’t raise any eyebrows, but there’s quite a backstory to McCarthy’s choice in this case.
Throughout his career, McCarthy has been known for sporting a significant amount of eyeblack, dating back to his high school days at IMG Academy and continuing through his three seasons at Michigan. However, he notably refrained from wearing it during games against Ohio State, which has its own implications.
Reflecting on his time as a Michigan player, it’s clear that McCarthy had a strong disdain for Ohio State, the Wolverines’ primary rival. His feelings ran deeper than just the typical rivalry; he was actually offered by Ohio State during high school but felt misled by head coach Ryan Day regarding the quarterback situation there. This ultimately shaped his decision to join Michigan, where he achieved a perfect 3-0 record against the Buckeyes.
Interestingly, McCarthy once claimed he used to “love” Ohio State but wanted to “kill them” once he started his recruiting process and committed to Michigan. This intense rivalry context makes his decision to forgo eyeblack—a symbolic element of his persona—more telling, especially with CJ Stroud, a fellow Ohio State alum, on the opposing side. There’s a good chance that his choice was influenced by the significance of facing Stroud, who, by the way, has never triumphed over a McCarthy-led team, reinforcing the narrative even further.
