The New York Giants are entering a new era this Sunday when they face the Los Angeles Chargers. That’s because rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is making his first NFL start.
Dart was selected by the Giants with the No. 25 overall pick in this year’s draft. He boosted his stock with a strong 2024 season at Ole Miss where he threw for 4,279 yards with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. The talented gunslinger also had 495 yards and three scores on the ground.
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Although he wasn’t named the Week 1 starter for the G-Men, Dart was outstanding in the preseason, completing 68.1% of his passes for 372 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
After a Week 3 loss at home, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Dart will replace Russell Wilson as his starting quarterback. That change won’t just be for Week 4.
“I don’t think any rookie quarterback is ever just ready to play,” Daboll said, via ESPN. “You put him in there because you think that he’s done enough to show you that he can go out there and compete, and he’s done that every step of the way. And that’s why I made the decision.”
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Aug 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium.
Jaxson Dart’s mother is going viral.
Leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, there was a ton of buzz surrounding Dart’s mother, Kara. She has been credited with teaching her son how to have style.
“My mom’s into it, and she’s done a great job of letting me choose and find things that I like and just giving me options,” Dart told GQ Sports. “At the same time, it’s just something that I’ve come to really love and to express myself in different ways.”
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Back in August, she made headlines because of her appearance at a Giants preseason game.
Dart’s mother is an avid runner who likes to share her fitness journey online. In 2019, she had to take a break from running due to a major foot injury.
“The last month has been a whirlwind. I realized my injury was quite severe, had major foot and ankle surgery, and now I am 16 days post surgery with a hard cast,” she wrote on Instagram. “I have been ‘running’ to some degree for as long as I can remember. Sprinting, flipping, jumping, and then gradually transitioning into distance running. Obviously Boston is out for me this year… and, I found out a couple days ago that they would not defer my position. So that definitely compounded a lot of sadness and frustration. I’m realizing that this injury will be an emotional marathon.”
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We’d have to imagine Dart’s mother will be on her feet cheering on the Giants this Sunday.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.