Coach John Harbaugh on J.J. McCarthy trade, Brian Burns injury

Jordan (0:00)

Obviously, you made a trade for a quarterback today. Can you tell us what made you want to make that trade for JJ. McCarthy and what went into that?

John Harbaugh (0:08)

Well, we've been talking about it for ever since, I think, Jackson got hurt, that we would need to add quarterbacks. That's part of the process. We've been turning over every stone.

This was an opportunity that kind of came up, and able to finish the deal off this morning, late morning, really glad, really happy, very excited to add JJ. McCarthy. I think he's a strong young quarterback, has some experience in the National Football League, obviously was a very high draft pick, very talented player, and is going to make us a stronger football team. So, excited about it, think it makes us better, and get him in here as soon as we can, get to work on learning the offense. Obviously, that's going to be a challenge, but we'll go to work on that, and that's where we're at.

Jordan (0:59)

And then, you know, the flip side of that is, the natural question is, what does that mean for Jameis?

John Harbaugh (1:07)

In terms of what?

Jordan (1:09)

Is he your starter moving forward? Is he your starter no matter what?

John Harbaugh (1:13)

Like, how does that? Yeah, yeah, Jameis is starting. You guys asked me that last night. He's our starting quarterback, and that's why we're rolling. We'll be ready to play this next game, and going forward, excited about Jameis. I think we're going to find ourselves. I mean, you know, we've we won the game. We did what we had to do to win the game. And that's what we had to do. And I think Jameis did all the things as a quarterback that we needed to do to win that game. But that doesn't mean that's where we stand. You know, we're going to we're going to keep growing. There's going to be new challenges in front of us.

He's not going to be coming into a game, you know, kind of out of the blue, so to speak. Or is he going to be coming into a nor'easter every single week going forward here? So I'm looking forward to seeing where we go and we'll build around, you know, as we go, too, we'll get a chance to build around James' strengths, all that kind of stuff. So I feel good about it.

Jordan (2:06)

Thanks, John.

John Harbaugh (2:08)

Paul Schwartz.

Paul Schwartz (2:09)

Hey, John.

Jordan (2:10)

Hey.

Paul Schwartz (2:11)

Hey, can you provide an update for Brian Burns? What is official and what's not official at this point?

John Harbaugh (2:19)

He's going to have surgery. He had an ACL tear.

Paul Schwartz (2:26)

You know, I mean, it goes without saying, I guess, what he means to the team and what kind of loss it is. But, you know, I want you to. It goes without saying for me, but not for you. I mean, he's such a vital part of the team. And, you know, back to back weeks, you've lost such key players. I mean, this is a pretty big hit, I would imagine.

John Harbaugh (2:44)

Yeah, big challenge for us. I mean, not just a great player, which he is. I mean, in many ways, you know, the leader of the defense, I would say, just as a veteran leader and star player, also a worker, out front kind of guy and everything he does. Just hate to see it. I mean, and really for him, too. I mean, yeah, he was he was he was just he was just such a just such a rock for us, you know, and freaky play, you know, kind of turn in the corner, puts his foot in the ground, gets gets hit from the side right at the same time. You know, again, doesn't look like much like these knee injuries sometimes, most of the time don't these these crazy contact injuries. So just just a tough deal. But it's it's one we've got to deal with. So again, you feel it, it hurts emotionally, you feel it more for the player even than for the team. But, you know, the team is the team is resilient. The team will have a next guy will step up, you know, we'll have to grow stronger and kind of you kind of grow over the wound, you know, you heal the wound, you grow over it, you scar up and you move on. And we're not the only team that faces losses or will face losses. And the fact that there's been, you know, yeah, we've got our quarterback one week and probably our top defensive player, you might say the next week is shocking, but you got to overcome the shock and you've got to get ready to play the next game and find a way to win the next game. That's what we'll be doing as a team. But I feel bad for Brian more than anything. I just, you know, my heart breaks for him that way.