One of the strangest, and most overlooked, storylines from the early days of the 2025 season has flowed from the Giants’ refusal to allow their backup quarterbacks to speak to reporters. It’s a blatant violation of the NFL’s media rules, and it seems that a message was sent, and received, by the team.

Both Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston spoke to reporters on Friday, as the Giants prepare to face the Cowboys on Sunday.

Dart was asked about, among other things, the existence (per NFL Media) of a package of plays for the first-round rookie.

“I don’t know if it’s as much as a package of plays,” Dart said. “I’m just preparing for whatever chance that I get. There’s not a specific game plan or anything like that. It’s me just trying to be prepared and be ready whenever my number’s called.”

The comments came after it seemed that Giants coach Brian Daboll at least considered the possibility of making a change from Russell Wilson to Dart after only one game — and at a time when plenty of fans are calling for it. Dart was asked whether he hears any of the noise.

“I don’t pay attention to that stuff,” Dart said. “I think it’s just kind of like the nature of the sport. Anytime you don’t win, people talk, and things like that happen. It’s completely different when you win. So, you have to take all that with a grain of salt. My job is to control what I can control, be the best teammate that I can be, do my job in practices and in preparing our guys, whether it’s me on the look team. Then just prepare as hard as I can.”

It’s nevertheless clear that he’d like to play.

“As a competitor, I don’t have like a blast watching from the sideline,” Dart said. “But it’s just the way that it is. My job is just to do what I can control and when I’m sitting there, I’m itching. You just want to compete. You want to be out there. In some ways, you kind of feel like a fan a little bit when you’re on the sideline. So, it’s a little bit different of a feeling of what I’m used to, but I’m just trying to shift my perspective.”

Veteran Jameis Winston is doing the same.

“Shoot, I told Russ, ‘Like Russ, ‘I want to be starting,’ and he’s OK with that,” Winston said. “That’s how you want the room to be. You want the room to compete with each other and push each other and that’s how you go higher. I don’t take things personally. I’m grateful to be in this league. This is my 11th year in this league, and I know there’s probably not 32 quarterbacks in this league that’s better than I am. But at the end of the day, God has given me an amazing platform to be a New York Football Giant, and I’m going to take that with authority and be my very best.”

Despite currently being regarded as the third best quarterback on the New York roster, Winston is prepared to play.

“I know I’m a starter in this league, but my role, I think you have to be able to be grateful for your role,” Winston said. “My role right now is to assist Russ and Jaxson in being the best that they can be while preparing to be the best that I can be. So, no matter if I’m three, 33, or whatever, this is my first year being number 19 so it’s always a first for everything. I focus on what I would love, and what I would love is for this team to have success.”

If the Giants don’t have success, changes will be made. And the first change to watch for is a potential quarterback change.

So when could that be? Next Sunday night, the Giants host the Chiefs. After that, the Giants host the Chargers. A Week 5 visit to the Saints could be the target — if the shift to Dart doesn’t happen before then.

And who knows? Maybe they’ll give Winston a whirl before throwing Dart into the fray.