OXFORD, Miss. — The New York Giants’ latest loss may have entered NFL history for all the wrong reasons, but it also marked another milestone in Jaxson Dart’s rapid development as a professional quarterback.
The Giants surrendered an 18-point lead in the final six minutes of a 33-32 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It snapped a streak of 1,602 straight games in which teams had won when holding such a late advantage.
Dart, the former Ole Miss standout, had the best statistical performance of his young career, even as his fourth-quarter interception proved costly.
Dart threw for a career-high 283 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score, completing 15 of 33 passes.
The quarterback’s postgame focus wasn’t on the numbers.
“I can’t do that,” Dart said, referencing the interception that turned momentum. “We were in full control of the game. In that situation, you can’t do that. That was an unacceptable mistake by me. I’ve got to be way better than that.”
The 24-year-old rookie has quickly become a bright spot on a rebuilding Giants roster.
Through four starts, Dart is the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 790 passing yards, 165 rushing yards, seven touchdown passes and three rushing touchdowns.
His mobility and toughness — traits that defined his Ole Miss career under coach Lane Kiffin — have carried over to the professional level.
“I just can’t stand losing,” Dart said. “A loss hurts me the same every time I take them.”
A familiar connection and SEC roots
Dart wasn’t the only Rebel making noise Sunday. Tight end Evan Engram, one of Ole Miss’ most productive receivers ever, caught five passes for 42 yards.
Defensive lineman DJ Jones added four tackles and posted an 82.4 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade, sixth among all NFL interior linemen for the week.
Next up for Dart and the 2-5 Giants is a divisional matchup against another Ole Miss alum — star wideout AJ Brown and the 5-2 Philadelphia Eagles.
Brown is coming off his best performance of the year with four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Minnesota.
“It’s going to be intense, for sure,” Dart said. “I kind of compare it to an SEC rivalry. I’m excited for the environment. Anybody finds it enjoyable when you’re able to win games on the road. That’s something we haven’t done yet, and we’re still chasing that.”
The meeting will also pit two former Rebels who helped shape Ole Miss’ modern recruiting reputation.
Both were highly regarded transfers and key figures in the program’s return to 10-win seasons under Kiffin, whose teams sent 15 former players to NFL action last weekend.
Ole Miss pipeline continues producing pros
Eight Ole Miss players were selected in last April’s NFL Draft — the most in the seven-round era (since 1994) and the second-most since the AFL-NFL merger.
Five were taken in the first three rounds, underscoring how Kiffin’s player development and transfer-portal strategy have transformed Oxford into a consistent NFL pipeline.
Rookie edge rusher Princely Umanmielen made an impact in Carolina’s 13-6 win over the New York Jets, logging a tackle, a half sack and two quarterback hurries.
His 72.4 PFF tackling grade ranked first among rookie edge defenders.
Meanwhile, Washington cornerback Trey Amos had three solo tackles in a 44-22 loss to Dallas.
Laremy Tunsil, one of the highest-paid linemen in the league, continued his dominance with an 87.4 pass-block grade — third best in the NFL — while protecting the Commanders’ blind side.
Dallas defensive end Sam Williams, another Ole Miss product, registered 35 snaps in that same game.
Tre Harris, a mid-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers, caught two passes for 23 yards in a loss to Indianapolis. Former Rebel safety Trey Washington appeared on six special-teams plays for the Colts in their 38-24 victory.
“It’s been an amazing five years,” Kiffin said about the NFL players earlier this year. “We’ve won a lot of games and built great relationships with players and people at the university. So many guys have come through and now they’re in the NFL. It’s been a great run.”
Quiet consistency across the league
Elsewhere, lineman Ben Brown logged 11 snaps for the New England Patriots in a 31-13 win over Tennessee.
Malik Heath played 23 snaps for Green Bay, contributing to a 27-23 victory over Arizona.
Miami defensive tackle Benito Jones posted one tackle in a loss to Cleveland but earned a 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade, second highest in the NFL for the week.
Jaylon Jones (Chicago Bears) and DK Metcalf (Pittsburgh Steelers) also made contributions, while Tavius Robinson (Baltimore Ravens), Dawson Knox and Elijah Moore (Buffalo Bills) were off on bye weeks.
Jonathan Mingo (Dallas Cowboys) is expected to return from injury this weekend.
Juice Wells, another familiar name to Ole Miss fans, joined the Giants’ practice squad last week, reuniting with Dart.
The two last shared a huddle during the Rebels’ 10-win 2024 season — a campaign that helped cement Dart’s draft stock and showcased Wells’ reliability as a slot receiver.
The growing list of Rebels in the pros continues to illustrate the reach of Kiffin’s tenure in Oxford.
From top-tier draft picks like Brown and Tunsil to undrafted players finding roster spots, Ole Miss’ presence around the league has never been stronger.
For Dart, the immediate goal is simple — translate personal growth into wins.
“It’s part of the learning curve,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said this week. “You take the good — the way he moved the offense — and you learn from the one throw he’d like to have back. He’s showing the kind of poise and accountability you want in your quarterback.”
The Giants’ late-game breakdown stung, but Dart’s progression remains one of the most intriguing developments of the 2025 NFL season.
The next test, against a familiar face in AJ Brown, will offer another glimpse at how far the rookie from Ole Miss has come.
