Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) passes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Any hope of the Giants taking a legitimate step forward in 2026 just took a remarkable blow, as multiple reports indicated that quarterback Jaxson Dart needs season-ending knee surgery.
The second-year passer, who led the Giants to an impressive Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, suffered the injury during the opening drive of Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was hit from both ends by Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart, and his left knee bent awkwardly while in the air.
He stayed on the field clutching his knee for a few minutes before leaving the field and heading to the blue medical tent. He then walked to the locker room for further testing before being ruled out.
His ACL is intact, but his MCL is damaged enough that surgery is needed. The initial timetable for a recovery is believed to be six months.
The Giants got the full picture of the severity of the injury after an MRI on Tuesday, which showed a far worse prognosis than what was initially anticipated. Not only did Dart walk off the field under his own power, but he even reportedly needed to have his jersey taken away from him as he was lobbying to get back on the field. General manager Joe Schoen even told ESPN that Dart was going to be “OK” during the game.
Head coach John Harbaugh added on Monday that he believed a “disastrous outcome,” but declined to comment on Tuesday after it began to become clear that this was indeed a serious injury.
The Giants are now left to salvage their very young season with Jameis Winston taking over the first-team offense. He struggled mightily in relief of Dart on Monday night, completing 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and an interception. Jake Haener, currently on the practice squad, will be elevated to backup Winston unless another option is picked up on the external market.
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