The New York Giants are trading for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy after losing Jaxson Dart for the rest of the 2026 NFL season.

Dart suffered a year-ending knee injury early in New York’s Week Two defeat to the Los Angeles Rams as they begin a new chapter in their first season under head coach John Harbaugh.

Veteran Jameis Winston replaced Dart under center and started on Sunday as the Giants beat the Tennessee Titans to improve to 2-1 on the year.

NFL Network reported that the Giants are trading a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings in exchange for McCarthy, who was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

For more than one reason McCarthy has failed to establish himself as Minnesota’s starter since being drafted out of Michigan, where he played under Jim Harbaugh, brother of Giants head coach John.

He suffered a year-ending injury in preseason of his rookie campaign, paving the way for Sam Darnold to launch his career revival by spearheading Kevin O’Connell’s side to an unlikely playoff berth.

Darnold departed the following offseason to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, opening the door for McCarthy to get his Vikings career up and running upon his return to full health.

McCarthy marked his NFL debut by helping the Vikings overturn an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Chicago Bears in Week One of the 2025 season. He threw two interceptions against the Atlanta Falcons the following week, during which he suffered an ankle injury that would rule him out of the next five weeks.

Carson Wentz impressed in his absence before McCarthy returned to face the Detroit Lions in Week Nine, only for further issues to disrupt the remainder of his season.

This past offseason he lost the Vikings starting to veteran acquisition Kyler Murray, before falling to third string behind Wentz.

He leaves the Vikings with a record of 6-4, his last appearance coming against the Baltimore Ravens in preseason in August.

The Giants had entered the season enthused by a fresh start under Harbaugh, who left the Ravens after 18 seasons earlier this year. That hope was only strengthened in Week One as Dart led the Giants to a statement win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Dart, the 25th overall pick in 2025, had galvanised a Giants team with just two winning seasons since 2016, supported by a star wide receiver in Malik Nabers, a revamped offensive line, running back Cam Skattebo and a talent-rich pass rush. The latter also took a blow this week as Brian Burns suffered a suspected torn ACL against the Titans.

Watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI on Sunday February 14, 2027. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.

Defending champion Luke Littler suffered a shock first-round exit at the World Grand Prix as he lost out 2-1 to Luke Woodhouse in Leicester, on the same night that six-time winner Michael van Gerwen was also eliminated.

Littler won the first set, but was far from his best as Woodhouse spurned several chances at double to have taken the opener into a deciding leg.

Woodhouse made no mistake in sets two and three, however, to see him pull off one of the biggest upsets in the hostory of the double-in, double-out tournament.

He’ll face former finalist Nathan Aspinall in the second round after he overcame Kevin Doets in a final-leg decider earlier on the opening night.

Following his stunning early exit, Little posted on his Instagram: “Well played @lukewoodly180 was a good game, good one to be apart of aswell.

“Both hit, both missed but Luke took his chance and nice week off now, all the best to Luke for rest of tournament.”

Littler followed that up by signalling his intent to now attend the Super League Grand Final on Saturday, which features his beloved Warrington Wolves – and would have clashed with the Grand Prix semi-finals.

“May aswell get myself to OT (Old Trafford) now I’m out. LETS GO THE WIRE @warringtonrlfc,” Littler added.

Following his seismic victory over Littler, Woodhouse said afterwards: “Luke’s not a robot. He’s going to have days and weeks and whatever where he’s not right on it.

“But look I think people have echoed it and I’m going to say it again, he’s one of a kind Luke.

“I hope people will take the time to appreciate how good he is and not give him a hard time. You might not see another Luke Littler ever again.”

Van Gerwen dumped out but Price, Clayton win

Elsewhere, not only were Van Gerwen’s hopes of a seventh Grand Prix crown dashed but he suffered a third-straight first-round loss in the tournament as Ryan Joyce came back from a set down to defeat the Dutchman.

Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, winners of the Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021 respectively, also progressed, with Price putting in the performance of the night as he averaged 101.61 and dropped only one leg in beating Sebastian Bialecki.

Clayton was made to work much harder by Krzysztof Ratajski, one of six matches (out of eight) to go the distance on the opening night.

Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets both missed match darts when losing out to Ross Smith and Aspinall, respectively.

Each had chances to wrap up two-set victories, but Menzies missed two looks at tops before Smith swept him aside 3-0 in the deciding set, while Doets spurned three match darts – including a wild miss at bullseye – and Aspinall would ultimately take it in a last-leg decider in the third set.

Danny Noppert came flying out of the blocks to open the night, claiming five consecutive legs before Niko Springer, out of nowhere, claimed the next three to take the second set, before normal service resumed in the third.

Wessel Nijman, meanwhile, rounded off the evening with a routine 2-0 victory over Rob Cross.

He’ll face Clayton next, while Noppert takes on MVG conqueror Joyce and Price goes up against Smith, who revealed he almost pulled out of the World Grand Prix after being hospitalised in the week leading up to the tournament.

“I’ve had a week from hell,” Smith said after his first-round victory. “I’ve come home and picked up some sort of virus and I’ve had a few issues with my heart as well.

“I was in hospital on Friday. I thought I was pulling out of this event on Saturday, so to be here is an achievement in itself. Let alone play and win like that, I’m very happy.”

Monday’s first-round results

First to two sets

• Danny Noppert 2-1 Niko Springer
• Ross Smith 2-1 Cameron Menzies
• Nathan Aspinall 2-1 Kevin Doets
• Jonny Clayton 2-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
• Gerwyn Price 2-0 Sebastian Bialecki
• Michael van Gerwen 1-2 Ryan Joyce
• Luke Littler 1-2 Luke Woodhouse
• Wessel Nijman 2-0 Rob Cross

Tuesday’s first-round schedule

First to two sets

• Chris Dobey vs Jermaine Wattimena
• Ryan Searle vs William O’Connor
• Josh Rock vs Niels Zonneveld
• James Wade vs Joe Cullen
• Gary Anderson vs Damon Heta
• Gian van Veen vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
• Luke Humphries vs Dave Chisnall
• Stephen Bunting vs Andrew Gilding

The second round takes place across Wednesday and Thursday, with the quarter-finals on Friday, semi-finals on Saturday and final on Sunday.

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