Jaxson Dart is the latest quarterback to go down following a knee injury he suffered Monday night that could bring his season to an end for the New York Giants.
Jaxson Dart continues to battle the injury bug early in his NFL career. The second-year New York Giants quarterback suffered a knee injury on the opening drive of the Monday Night Football matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Dart was hit on a high-low tackle by Rams outside linebackers Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart resulting in the injury.
The initial reaction from the Giants and head coach John Harbaugh following the game indicated the injury was not severe. However, reports from across the NFL Tuesday, including from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, suggest the injury could ultimately cost Dart his season.
When asked after the game if Dart had sprained his MCL on the play Monday night, Harbaugh said that was “in the neighborhood” of the initial prognosis. The New York head coach did not have much more information Tuesday, but the reports suggest MRI results returned a more concerning result.
“I’d say evaluations are ongoing,” Harbaugh said Tuesday. “We haven’t gotten any final decisions yet. We’ve learned a lot more.”
The Giants head coach opted to not comment on the severity of the injury when asked if it could force Dart to miss the remainder of the season.
Dart has been one of the centerpieces of the rebuild in New York under Harbaugh. He showed promise as a rookie in 2025 during a season in which he also dealt with injury issues. The former first-round pick missed two games due to a concussion after taking over as starter last season.
Injury To Jaxson Dart Forces Giants To Turn To Jameis Winston
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan and Laura Rutledge reported during the Monday’s game that Dart wanted to return to the field despite the injury. Ultimately, the Giants turned to veteran quarterback Jameis Winston to close out the 28-6 loss to the Rams. Winston is the only other quarterback on New York’s active roster.
Jake Haener is part of the team’s practice squad.
Winston has been in this position previously as he started two games last year when Dart went down. The longtime signal-caller went 0-2 leading New York last season. He was not able to move the offense well Monday night against the Rams.
Winston finished the night with 111 yards passing and an interception on 11 completions (27 attempts).
Dart, who was able to walk off the field following the injury Monday, shined in a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He passed for 3 touchdowns and 230 yards with just 6 incompletions on the day. Dart also rushed for 54 yards in that game.
Potential Options For Giants At QB After Dart Injury
Dart is just the latest significant player to go down with an injury. Week 2 featured multiple quarterback injuries as well. Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels both were injured Sunday. Minnesota Vikings QB Kyler Murray and Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold went down in Week 1.
The market for backup quarterbacks could be quickly changing as a result of the injuries to Jaxson Dart and others. The Giants signed Winston to a two-year, $13-million extension less than three weeks ago. So, looks locked into being the starter for however long Dart will be out.
Still, New York needs another option in the meantime. And, there are several quarterbacks who could make sense even if only as a backup.
Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers): The 49ers reportedly were asking for a second-round draft pick in exchange for Jones in the offseason. The franchise has not had any plans to trade their backup quarterback, who made eight starts in 2025. Still, the former first-round pick is in the final year of his contract, and the 49ers are looking at potentially losing him next year anyway. He went 5-3 as a starter last season and completed 69.6% of his passes with 13 touchdowns.
Jimmy Garoppolo (Free Agent): NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported in July that Jimmy G would be open to a return to the field in 2026. He is currently a free agent but reportedly considered retirement after the 2025 season with the Rams. Garoppolo last made an NFL start in the 2024 season with Los Angeles. He has made 64 starts in his career, however. The former 49ers and Patriots QB would provide a veteran to back up Winston.
Joe Milton III (Dallas Cowboys): The former Tennessee standout QB is currently on the Dallas practice squad. Sam Howell beat out Milton for the backup job behind Dak Prescott, but he remains an intriguing option. Milton had an impressive showing in the preseason with 3 touchdowns and nearly 400 yards passing. He has only made five appearances in the NFL with no starts, but there is some upside as a backup to Winston.
Jake Browning (Free Agent): The former Washington standout is currently without a role in the NFL after being cut by Tampa Bay after the preseason. He does have some starting experience having made 17 appearances throughout his time in Cincinnati behind Joe Burrow. Browning has made 10 starts in his NFL career while passing for 2,707 yards and 18 touchdowns with 15 INTs.
Spencer Rattler (New Orleans Saints): Tyler Shough has solidified his spot as QB1 for the Saints this season. It has left Rattler as an option being tossed around for the Giants. The former fifth-round pick has been inconsistent (to say the least) in his NFL career. Rattler has gone 1-13 in games he’s started and passed for 12 TDs and 10 INTs.
