J.J. McCarthy Unable to Wear No. 9 After Giants Trade, New Jersey Number Revealed

J.J. McCarthy will wear a new number for his new team.

After being traded from the Minnesota Vikings to the New York Giants on Monday, McCarthy appeared on the Giants' roster page as No. 18. He previously wore No. 9 in college and in Minnesota, but that number is occupied by tight end Isaiah Likely.

Of course, the number change means McCarthy will have to find a new alter ego. Last season, McCarthy explained that he channels an alter ego that he called "Nine."

"For me, I call him, 'Nine,' McCarthy said. "Nine comes out, and I got to 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 to get back to my breath, get back to my visualization, that can kind of maintain that intense competitive stamina throughout the whole game. But yeah, it's just the pure will and determination to get the job done."

McCarthy had a rough tenure with the Vikings, missing all of his rookie year before throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. The trade gives him a better chance to see the field more and perhaps turn things around following a rocky start to his career.