As the New York Giants were putting together a promising opening drive against the Rams on Monday Night Football, second-year QB Jaxson Dart dropped back for a third-down pass. He delivered a missile over the middle of the field, but got sandwiched between two Rams defenders as he threw the ball, landing awkwardly and clutching his knee.
While we still don’t have clarity on the full nature of Dart’s injury, it is much more serious than was initially expected. Per ESPN NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the MRI revealed Dart’s knee injury to be “worse than anticipated” and he will miss “an extended period of time,” possibly the rest of the season.
Rapoport later added that Dart is “likely” done for the season. As he did in the remainder of the Rams game, Jameis Winston is next man up for the Giants at quarterback.
Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s Toughness Shows Even Through Serious Knee Injury
Dart leapt in the air to get the pass away on the play he was injured, meaning his leg wasn’t planted when he absorbed all that contact. He walked off the field under his own power and was carted into the locker room after spending some time in the blue medical tent, eventually making his way to the x-ray room.
The Giants initially labeled Dart as “questionable” to return and ESPN Giants beat reporter Jordan Raanan revealed that Dart wanted to keep playing on Monday night and check back into the Rams game. With hindsight, holding him out was obviously the smart move for New York.
But that desire to get back out there for his teammates even after suffering a potentially season-ending knee injury speaks to Dart’s toughness and competitive spirit.
Jaxson Dart’s Injury Throws a Major Wrench Into New York Giants’ Season Outlook
For the Giants, Dart’s injury goes beyond a major blow to this season. It marks a significant setback in New York’s rebuild overall. Dart had a promising rookie season, but he still had a lot of needed development to undergo. Losing the rest of this season — or at least the bulk of it — sets the Giants back significantly.
Overall, New York’s trajectory still points up. The Giants hired ex-Ravens HC John Harbaugh, a proven winner with a Super Bowl title to his name, this offseason. And he’s not going anyway. The roster is in better shape than it has in some time, though there is still significant work to be done.
At this point, the most important thing for Dart and the Giants is for him to attack his rehab and get back to the best version of himself as soon as possible.
Giants’ Injury Update on Jaxson Dart is ‘Worse Than Anticipated’: Report