Error code: %{errorCode}
The New York Giants have hit the bullseye with sensational rookie QB Jaxson Dart
It’s often said that to succeed as a sportsperson in New York, you need a strong personality. The lights are bright, the critics are plentiful, and the margin for error is small.
Yet, in just a few weeks as the New York Giants’ starting quarterback, NFL rookie Jaxson Dart has already shown the charisma – and the on-field chops – to meet that challenge.
For more than a decade, Big Blue have chased stability at quarterback, cycling through veterans and hopefuls without ever finding the long-term answer.
After moving on from Daniel Jones in the offseason and signing Russell Wilson to bring experience to the position, New York still found itself in search of a spark.
When Wilson’s struggles continued through the first three games of 2025, head coach Brian Daboll made a bold call: bench the veteran and turn to the rookie. From that moment, the franchise’s hopes became tied inextricably to Dart’s rapid ascent.
Here, I break down how Dart has brought belief, swagger, and stability back to the Meadowlands.
NFL offer: watch for even less with new Game Pass discounts
UK fans can purchase an annual pass to watch every game for the rest of the season, including the playoffs and Super Bowl, for an upfront discounted fee of £99.99 (reduced from £169.99). Alternatively, fans can pay for an annual subscription monthly, with payments reduced to £8.99 for the first three months, reverting to £17.99 in month four.
A subscription also includes access to the NFL Network, RedZone, and various weekly shows, such as Downs 2 Business, Kittle Things, and the X's & O's coaching breakdown.
For more information and to sign up, click here.
Dart made his first start in Week 4, leading New York to a win over the Los Angeles Chargers . The debut showed both promise and areas to polish – the arm strength, mobility, and composure under pressure were there in flashes.
As the young quarterback settled into his role, so did the missteps. In Week 5, facing the New Orleans Saints , Dart turned the ball over three times: two interceptions and a lost fumble. It was a stinging reminder that even the most gifted rookies must pay their dues.
But in Week 6, on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, Dart made a statement, guiding the Giants to a 34-17 upset over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles .
In that breakout game, the young gunslinger went 17-of-25 for 195 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing 58 yards and finding the end zone on the ground, earning a 104.6 passer rating and praise as the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to rush for 50-plus yards in each of his first three starts.
Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Their on-field chemistry is already becoming a storyline, the sort of dual-rookie connection that fuels hope in a rebuilding team.
Dart’s strengths have been evident in the way he reads defenses before the snap, anticipates open receivers, and executes his passing game with smooth touch.
His athleticism adds another dimension: he’s not just escaping pressure, he’s turning chaos into positive yardage.
Of course, he is still very much a work in progress. He must reduce careless turnovers, improve consistency, and master in-game adjustments, but what he has already done is erase some of the pessimism that trailed the Giants heading into 2025.
Brian Daboll, entering this season under scrutiny and pegged by some as a candidate to be the first coach fired, now has a quarterback in whom he clearly believes. The two have been pictured in sideline embraces after big plays, an unmistakable show of mutual confidence.
That bond may well define how far this season can go – not just for Dart’s career, but for Daboll’s own standing and for the belief of a Giants fan base desperate for a new chapter.
In Dart, the Giants just might have hit the bullseye.
