Nightcap Hour 3: J.J. McCarthy Speaks on LOSING QB COMPETITION + Terrion Arnold SIGNS with Seahawks + Russell Westbrook RETIRES from NBA + BIG 3 Playoff Preview

**Shannon Sharpe** (0:01)
JJ McCarthy spoke for the first time since the Vikings announced Kyler Murray as the starter. Let's take a listen to what JJ had to say, guys.

**J.J. McCarthy** (0:08)
Look, you know, decision was made that was out of my control, and obviously every competitor wants to play. But moving forward, it's just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number's called. What were your initial thoughts when you found out the decision had been made?
Obviously disappointed. You know, I'm a competitor, but at the end of the day, you know, it's in the past, and I'm moving on to the next practice, the next rep, the same mindset I had going into it and focusing on the Giants this week. JJ, why do you say was out of your control?
There's so many things out of our control, like the heat today. And, you know, it's just really having the discernment to figure out which of the two. And, you know, that was one of the things outside of my control. And me attacking and optimizing every opportunity which was in my control. And that's all I was focused on.

**Shannon Sharpe** (0:56)
That's a lot.

**Chad Johnson** (0:58)
I have a question. Can I say something?

**Shannon Sharpe** (0:59)
Yeah, go ahead.

**Chad Johnson** (1:00)
Hey, Chad, Joe, and Unc, the one thing that's in control is you being on that football field.

**J.J. McCarthy** (1:06)
Yeah, he was in control.

**Chad Johnson** (1:08)
Hey, you're in control of that. You're in control of not being a starter.
You're in control. You always have been. It's based on your production and what you do on the field. You're not starting because of what you didn't do.

**Shannon Sharpe** (1:20)
Because what he could control, he didn't control. It ain't that complicated, Joe. Oh Joe, Chad, it's not that complicated. He said it was out of his control. The mere fact Kyler Murray was there was because of your control, because you were some stir fry.
Yeah.

**Chad Johnson** (1:37)
Yeah.

**Shannon Sharpe** (1:38)
Now the question is, you also got a veteran quarterback on the roster in Carson, in Carson Wentz. Yes.
Now, do they feel comfortable enough to say, okay, Kyler's our starter and McCarthy's our backup? Or do we feel comfortable with Carson Wentz who's been in this league, who's been a starter?

**Chad Johnson** (2:00)
Yes.

**Shannon Sharpe** (2:02)
Then see what kind of value can I get for JJ McCarthy?
What you thinking, Ocho? What you thinking, Joe? You might be right on that one, man. You might be right on that one. Listen to JJ speak. The one thing he said was, the only thing I can do is be ready until my number is called. That's all you can do as a professional, bro. Now, he had his opportunity last year. You know what I mean? But right now, you got to keep improving, bro. If your number do get called, you got to try to seize that moment.
With the number that's going to be called, it might be the general manager calling his phone and say, we traded you. He probably wouldn't even mind that if you just want me to keep on 100

**Chad Johnson** (2:42)
Hey Joe, he might want to mind it because they ain't...

**Shannon Sharpe** (2:46)
Everybody got their starter. It ain't like he going somewhere to be a starter.

**Chad Johnson** (2:49)
Hey, that ain't happening. Man, listen. That ain't happening.

**Shannon Sharpe** (2:53)
That's why when you get one of the jobs, you got to keep it. Yeah.

**Chad Johnson** (2:58)
Yeah. And that was in your control. Keeping the job was in your control.
But I just- Hey, you had ample time.

**Shannon Sharpe** (3:08)
I don't know. But I'm just looking at him in college and I'm like, bro, they ran the ball, Ochocinco.

**Chad Johnson** (3:14)
A lot. A lot.

**Shannon Sharpe** (3:16)
Yes.

**Chad Johnson** (3:19)
A lot.

**Shannon Sharpe** (3:20)
So I'm not- and the problem is that you've had two quarterbacks to end that building.
You had Daniel Jones and you had Sam Darnall, and you let them walk out the building for him.

**Chad Johnson** (3:37)
But they picked him so high, they had no choice. They had no choice.

**Shannon Sharpe** (3:44)
You ordered it. You didn't have to order that.
You ordered it. Oh, JJ McCarthy is moving up the boards. How? He ain't played since the championship game. I never understood how guys move up the draft board, Ojo, when they're not playing football.

**Chad Johnson** (4:03)
Depends on, you know, depends on who.

**Shannon Sharpe** (4:06)
People start talking, the agents put the word out, they put the word out to certain people. People start talking, oh, he's moving up the draft boards. How? Who's draft board? He ain't played.