Jaxson Dart’s 2026 season is over after the New York Giants confirmed the quarterback will undergo knee surgery. The injury happened early in Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, when Dart was hit in midair and his knee bent awkwardly. Initial reports suggested a sprained MCL, but NFL Network and ESPN revealed the damage was more extensive, affecting the MCL, PCL, and meniscus, with the meniscus injury being the primary concern.
Dart, a second-year player and the Giants’ first-round pick at No. 25 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, started 12 games as a rookie. He entered this season as the full-time starter, with New York seen as a potential breakout team under head coach John Harbaugh. The Giants won their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, with Dart completing 79.3% of his passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, raising expectations for the team’s prospects.
The injury occurred on the first drive of Week 2 against the Rams. After further medical evaluation, it was confirmed that the ACL remained intact, but the damage to the other knee ligaments and the meniscus requires surgery that will end Dart’s season. The Giants did not provide a specific timeline for his recovery, but the procedure rules him out for the remainder of 2026.
With Dart sidelined, the Giants will turn to backup quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston came in under pressure during Monday night’s game, completing 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and throwing one interception. The contrast between Dart’s performance and Winston’s so far this season is clear.
New York faces a challenging schedule over the next several weeks. They will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4, and then travel to Washington to play the Commanders in Week 5. Washington’s starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, is also out due to injury. The Giants return home to host the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 before traveling to Houston to face the Texans the same week. Their bye week follows in Week 7.
The Giants’ hopes of building on last season’s rookie campaign with Dart starting have been significantly disrupted. The team’s plans for the 2026 season will now depend heavily on Winston’s ability to lead the offense and the team’s depth behind him.
According to CBS.