The New York Giants’ 2025 season has taken a turn for the better ever since they decided to start Jaxson Dart at the all-important quarterback position instead of Russell Wilson. New York lost every one of its opening three games of the season with Wilson starting, but the team is 2-1 since then.
According to some within the franchise, the Giants knew Dart was “the guy” for them at the quarterback position before the season even started.
“Speaking of summer, several people with the Giants told me New York knew since then that Dart was ‘the guy,'” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote. “They just didn’t want to rush it.
“Before the draft, they did their homework on all the quarterbacks, but every meeting with Ole Miss’s Dart ended the same way: with coach Brian Daboll and front-office members walking out saying, ‘He checks every box.’
“Believe it or not, the Giants also leaned on some unlikely help. Ole Miss assistant quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, the former Giants head coach, helped the team learn everything it needed to know about Dart.
“The Giants also knew they weren’t alone. The [New Orleans] Saints, [Pittsburgh] Steelers and [Cleveland] Browns had all shown interest. New York tried to play it cool, but the Giants also knew Daboll’s personality — fiery, competitive, intense and sometimes a little unhinged — was a perfect match for Dart’s energy.
“Around the league now, I keep hearing the same line: ‘Daboll finally has his guy.’
“Not just a quarterback who can run his offense, but a quarterback who reflects him.”
Dart maybe solidified himself as the Giants’ starting quarterback for the foreseeable future with his showing against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. He threw for 195 yards and a touchdown while completing an impressive 68.0 percent of his passes. He also ran for 58 yards and a score. The Giants doubled up the Eagles by a final of 34-17.
He played like a quarterback well beyond his years on Thursday, and if he can sustain that level of play for the remainder of the campaign, perhaps it’s not out of the question that the Giants go on to contend for a playoff spot this season.
New York hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2022 season, which also marks the last time it finished with a record above .500.
Fans of the team will have a much better idea of whether Dart can lead it to a playoff appearance this season following its upcoming stretch of games. All of the Giants’ next three opponents have records of 3-2 or better, so they are going to be tested by some quality opponents.
With any luck, this recent stretch of play is only the beginning of a terrific Giants stint for Dart, who will try to put together countless more great performances for them in the years to come. He might just be someone to keep an eye on in the Rookie of the Year race as the campaign drags on.
