Although the Minnesota Vikings don't have a game on Sunday in Week 9, fans still had a chance to see two former players face off: Jonathan Greenard and J.J. McCarthy.
The Vikings moved on from both players with trades. The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Greenard in the 2026 NFL Draft for two third-round picks. New York acquired McCarthy earlier this season in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Sunday's 1:00 pm EST slate of games featured the Giants and the Eagles facing off. Greenard and McCarthy faced off on the field for the first time, and Greenard got the upper hand.
Jonathan Greenard made life miserable for J.J. McCarthy in Vikings reunion showdown
During the Giants' second drive of the game, with a 3-0 lead, New York faced third-and-four at the Eagles' 21-yard line. McCarthy dropped back in the pocket, and Greenard came off the edge for a sack.
Jonathan Greenard gets his first sack as an Eagle 🦅
— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026
NYGvsPHI on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9WCGeUnDwC
That was a big moment in the game, as it led to an Eagles stop on defense and a Giants field goal. Second, Greenard got his first sack of the season in the Eagles' ninth regular-season game.
McCarthy got hurt in the third quarter with a hip injury and left early. He finished with five sacks, throwing for 101 yards and rushing for 11 before he left the game. McCarthy returned right before the fourth quarter.
As for Greenard, he played by far his best game since joining the Eagles. He did not have a sack and only had five pressures entering Week 9.
J.J. McCarthy and Jonathan Greenard are tales of different stories since leaving Minnesota
Greenard has been considered one of the biggest busts of the NFL season after his trade to the Eagles. He signed a $98 million contract extension after the trade but hasn't lived up to expectations in Philly.
A pectoral injury kept Greenard out of training camp and the first two regular-season games. He would end up missing three games in the first eight games of the year.
Through the first half of the season, Greenard's stats entering the Giants game were five pressures, three hurries, two tackles, one quarterback hit, and one forced fumble. He has one pressure in the previous three games.
As for McCarthy, he lost the Vikings starting quarterback job and dropped to third-string at the start of the season. Minnesota eventually moved on from him by trading him to the Giants.
It didn't take long for McCarthy to start playing for New York, as he had two rushing yards in the tie against the Washington Commanders, but he nearly led a comeback against the New Orleans Saints after throwing for 243 yards and one touchdown.
McCarthy would make his first start as a Giant against the Houston Texans. He completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 252 yards, leading the Giants to a 27-21 overtime win.
It's easy to argue that things have gone a lot better for McCarthy overall than for Greenard, but the two are starting to catch steam lately. Still, the Vikings were better off trading them, as they have been better off without them overall.
Add us as a preferred source on Google