Jaxson Dart was officially announced as the starter quarterback for the New York Giants in Week 4. The rookie from Ole Miss will take over from Russell Wilson, who was benched following a poor performance against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
The rookie quarterback was supposed to sit during the 2025 season and learn from Wilson and fellow veteran quarterback Jameis Winston. However, the Giants have lost all three games so far, and head coach Brian Daboll is looking for a spark to ignite the offense.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, one day after being named the starter, Dart stated that he feels ready to take over the job, and he wants to be explosive with the offense, something that Wilson failed to do while he was playing:
“I’m ready. It wasn’t anything extra. You always say like, ‘I’m going to prepare each week the same.’ But in all reality, you have different responsibilities as the starter. I want to do my best to be a spark. I want to create excitement on the field. I want to be explosive when opportunities are there and just try to bring a little bit of swagger.”
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Giants GM Joe Schoen reaffirmed Wilson as the starter over Dart during the offseason
In May, after the draft concluded, Schoen was asked when fans were going to see their new quarterback on the field. A former executive for the Buffalo Bills, he reiterated that there was no quarterback controversy for New York in the 2025 season.
He wanted Russell Wilson to lead the team, Winston to be the primary backup and Dart to learn from the sidelines.
“Daboll came out and said, Russell is the starter, and we’ve been through this. Jaxson’s going to come in, and he’s got to learn the offense. There’s a lot to learn,” Joe Schoen said.
Looking at a 0-3 record and trying to provide a spark, the franchise has now changed course and given the starter job to the rookie. But he’ll face a daunting task in Week 4, playing against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are 3-0 and have one of the best defenses in the league.
