The New York Giants are not strangers to Jaxson Dart‘s resilience as a football player. On Monday, they caught a glimpse of it at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams’ pass rush put Dart under duress from kickoff. He was hurried on his three completions of the first drive. On his fifth attempt, Dart threw a pass looper to tight end Theo Johnson, who failed to haul it in.
But as the camera focused on the incomplete pass, Dart fell to the ground, clutching his left knee. The Giants support staff and the medical team escorted Dart to the blue tent. Shortly after, he walked back to the locker room. New York media’s Jordan Raanan reported seeing Dart sitting in the Giants dugout in ‘street clothes.’
Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen told the ESPN crew that Dart is ‘going to be ok.’ Dart did not rejoin the game.
Dart played impressively in the . He completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards in a 28-20 win.
Analysts expected Dart to deliver a similar performance against the Rams, who returned from . Dart completed three passes and one incompletion. On the fifth attempt, two Rams defenders smashed into him from either side, leaving him in pain.
Replays captured the moment. Dart’s left leg bent awkwardly on impact. He stayed down, and after a brief layover at the blue tent, the Giants decided it was best to send him back in, even though Raanan reported the 23-year-old was ready to take his place under center.
Later, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport gave an update on Dart’s condition. An X-ray showed he suffered a minor MCL injury. The Giants will determine the severity of his injury after running some more tests.
The Giants drafted Dart 25th overall in 2025. He edged outJameis Winstonto seal the backup job behind Russell Wilson. The Super Bowl winner lasted just three games before the team decided to start Dart.
With Dart calling the shots, the Giants offense performed better than most expected. He went 4-8 as a rookie. He completed 216 passes (63.7%) for 2272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He rushed 86 times for 487 yards and scored 9 touchdowns.
Dart loves playing aggressive football. For that reason, he’s always at risk of getting injured. Despite suffering multiple concussions last year, he refused to alter his playing style.
[This] is football. Like, I’m going to get hit if I’m in the pocket or outside the pocket. I feel like I played this way my whole entire life. It shouldn’t be any shocker to anybody if you followed along with my career. We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit. Things happen. It’s just part of the game.
Jaxson Dart said
Nevertheless, the Giants consider the former USC and Ole Miss star as the future of the franchise. His performance against Dallas proved that he can survive at this level. But he must protect himself better or become a premature casualty like Andrew Luck.
Winston replaced Dart in the middle. The Heisman Trophy winner had an inspiring offseason, but that panache was nowhere to be seen against the Rams.
Winston repeatedly underthrew his passes and conceded an interception. The Rams’ edge landed several hits, including two sacks. He finished with 11 completions of 27 attempts for 111 yards and zero touchdowns. Running back Cam Skattebo carried 12 times for 36 yards. Days after scoring 28 against the Cowboys, the Giants only managed 6 points (two field goals). They lost 28-6.