EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart continued his strong preseason with an efficient performance Saturday night, leading the Giants to a 31-12 victory over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Dart, a former Ole Miss standout, completed 14 of 16 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a one-yard score, guiding three drives and finding the end zone twice.
Through two preseason games, Dart has connected on 74 percent of his passes (26 of 35) for 291 yards, accounting for four total touchdowns and no turnovers.
“The first thing it starts off with is, obviously, the guys I’m out there on the field with,” Dart said. “And then my coaches putting me in a really good situation to succeed. There’s a lot of conversations — like I think it’s really unique when rookies are able to have input to the coaches. That’s not very common at times.”
Dart’s performance earned praise from Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who emphasized the importance of giving the rookie valuable reps.
“It’s pretty basic in the preseason. The biggest thing is for him to get out there and just get the operation going. Get the call. Get in there,” Daboll said at Giants.com.
Despite Dart’s strong showing, Daboll reiterated that veteran Russell Wilson remains the team’s starting quarterback.
“Russ is our starter and we’re going to keep developing Jaxson,” Daboll said. “We’ve played a good amount of reps with these guys in the preseason and the starters are somewhere around 30-37 plays, which is the number we like to see.”
Dart has credited the Giants’ culture for his smooth transition to the NFL, citing open communication with coaches and fellow quarterbacks.
“Our relationship from player to coaches has been top notch since I got here,” Dart said. “They put me in good situations, they let me express the things that I like, that I feel confident in running, and then the tempo drives. I felt confident in that.”
Dart’s pocket presence and decision-making have caught the attention of fans and analysts. Fox Sports noted that Dart completed 13 consecutive passes against the Jets, while Giants supporters on social media praised his ability to move within the pocket and avoid pressure.
Lane Kiffin, Dart’s former coach at Ole Miss, expressed pride in his former quarterback’s rapid development.
“That was awesome to see. (Dart’s) doing really well and played well, and he’s really enjoying it,” Kiffin said (Athlonsports). Kiffin also pointed out Dart’s ability to build strong relationships in the quarterback room, both in college and now in the NFL.
Dart’s next opportunity will come Thursday, Aug. 21, when the Giants host the New England Patriots in their final preseason game. For now, he remains focused on learning and improving.
“That’s what we come to work every single day to do,” Dart said on AtoZ Sports. “We want to win. So, we all have the same focus. We have the same intent of what we’re doing.”
The Giants plan to develop Dart patiently behind Wilson, but his preseason performance has sparked optimism about his potential.
“A quote that we go by in the quarterback room is, ‘Being aggressive but not reckless.’ So, when you have opportunities to put the dagger in, you do it. But you can’t turn the ball over,” Dart said on NFL.com.
Dart’s consistency has been notable in the preseason. None of it is surprising to Ole Miss fans.
