Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong for the New York Giants over the past 24 hours has gone wrong. Not only did the team suffer an ugly 28-6 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, but they also could be without star second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart for the rest of the 2026 campaign.
Dart was forced out of this game early with a knee injury, but the Giants were confident after the initial tests that he would return at some point this year. Further tests and scans have revealed that Dart may require season-ending surgery, with that revelation leading to general manager Joe Schoen getting heavily criticized for initially saying that the talented passer was going to be OK.
Joe Schoen Put on Blast for Jaxson Dart Injury Comments
Dart suffered his aforementioned knee injury on the final play of the Giants’ first offensive drive, and while he tried to convince the team’s training staff to let him back in the game, he was eventually ruled out for the rest of the action. In his absence, Jameis Winston filled in under center, but the passing attack failed to get off the ground against a tough Rams defense.
Initial reports indicated that Dart would miss four-to-six weeks with this injury, as a clip went viral on social media with a member of New York’s medical staff appearing to relay that information to head coach John Harbaugh. You can never be sure with injuries until the full scope of testing is complete, though, and the Giants have found that out the hard way.
Now that the team knows exactly what Dart is dealing with, it has determined that he may need to undergo season-ending surgery, which would be a devastating blow for this team. In the wake of this revelation, Schoen was put on blast for providing a quick comment that has proven to be blatantly incorrect, with many folks suggesting he should not have spoken on Dart’s injury status so prematurely.
Based on reporting now on Tuesday, there was no reason for the Giants GM Joe Schoen to tell ESPN that Jaxson Dart was going to be ‘okay’ in the pre-MRI context while the game ensued, because it’s just too early without official and complete information,” NFL insider Josina Anderson wrote in a post on X. “Wanting to quell anxieties to a national audience is admirable, but evidently it can also raise false hope for fans.”
Giants Must Plot a Path Forward Without Jaxson Dart
Dart will likely push to do whatever he can to avoid undergoing season-ending surgery, but as of right now, it looks like he is done for the year. That means Winston will be running the offense, but based on how things went against the Rams (11/27, 111 YDS, 1 INT), there isn’t much reason for optimism when it comes to the offense’s production moving forward.
Maybe Dart will find a way to return this season, but it is looking increasingly unlikely that will happen, which will make it even more difficult for New York to stay afloat in a competitive NFC East division. The good news for the Giants is that they will play the lowly Tennessee Titans in Week 3, but with Dart out, it remains to be seen if they will have enough to get by the AFC South cellar-dweller.
Giants’ GM Joe Schoen Criticized for Handling of Jaxson Dart Injury