Jaxson Dart to Be Giants QB1 for Rest of 2025 NFL Season, Russell Wilson Named QB2

Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has been named the New York Giants' starter for the rest of the 2025 season, head coach Brian Daboll said ahead of Week 4.

Russell Wilson will serve as Dart's backup after leading the Giants to an 0-3 start.

"We're going with Jaxson. We're going to get him ready to play, this week and the remainder of the season," Daboll said Wednesday (h/t SNY).

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that the Giants planned to bench Wilson and start Dart in Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Daboll dismissed a question about whether the franchise would consider releasing Wilson should he request to leave.

The head coach also declined to answer when asked if the decision to start Dart was a result of the Giants' winless start to the season.

When asked about what he expected from Dart, Daboll said, "I expect him to prepare. Expect him to go out there and get better each time he plays.

"It's not always going to be perfect, but I do think that he has the right makeup, and athleticism. And look, we're going to do everything we can do to help him be the best player."

Wilson was benched after leading the Giants to three straight losses, a stretch he capped off by throwing two interceptions against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.

The veteran quarterback was held to fewer than 170 passing yards and 12 rushing yards in both a Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders and the Week 3 defeat by the Chiefs.

Wilson did rack up 450 passing yards in a Week 2 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys, although the performance was made less impressive by the struggles of the Cowboys' pass defense.

Dart has played just six snaps through those three games while serving as Wilson's backup, during which he recorded one carry in Week 2 and another in Week 3.

But Daboll has indicated since Dart beat out veteran quarterback Jameis Winston for the backup job ahead of Week 1 that the Giants have been preparing the rookie to potentially see more playing time this season.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported ahead of Week 1 that the Giants had prepared a "package of plays" for Dart, who said when asked about the report that it was not "as much a package" as "preparing for whatever chance that I get."

Daboll meanwhile said ahead of Week 2 that the Giants were "doing everything we can do, each week, to develop Jaxson."

"He spends a lot of time in the building, spends a lot of time after practice going through things that he needs to go through to prepare himself to be, if he gets called upon, to be ready to go," Daboll said ahead of Week 2.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday, amid the lead-up to Week 4, that "Dart has hit every benchmark coach Brian Daboll and the staff set" in his development process.

"He proved to be a highly motivated fast learner in the offseason and sustained that momentum throughout camp," Fowler wrote. "In preseason games, he made quick decisions and showed deft ball placement. He's also, as one team source put it, "tough as s--t."

"All that, coupled with his mobility, gives the Giants a better chance to win games at this stage, despite the inevitable miscues that come with a rookie quarterback. It's not complicated. Dart appears ready."

Dart will face a tough first NFL opponent in the Chargers, who are off to a 3-0 start in part thanks to a defense that ranks ninth in the league in both passing yards allowed per game (182) and rushing yards allowed per game (94.7).

Daboll will hope Dart has gotten enough time developing behind Wilson to rise to the challenge when his first NFL start kicks off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.