New York (AFP) – New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will undergo knee surgery and miss the remainder of the NFL regular season, head coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday. It is a severe blow to the Giants after Dart excelled in their season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys and had been widely tipped to thrive under new boss Harbaugh.
In the latest of several quarterback injuries early this NFL season, Dart, 23, exited Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams after his left knee buckled awkwardly following a double tackle by defenders Josaiah Stewart and Byron Young. Harbaugh initially expressed hope the quarterback had avoided a “devastating outcome,” but by Tuesday admitted Dart and the team were weighing up a major decision concerning the injury.
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On Wednesday, Harbaugh confirmed the worst with surgery upcoming on his meniscus and medial collateral ligament (MCL). “He’s bummed. It’s hard. The season’s not over, but it is for him,” Harbaugh said. Harbaugh stated Dart is expected to miss the “regular season at least,” but appeared to leave the door open to his starting quarterback returning in the postseason if the Giants make it that far. “There’s no way to know. It just depends on the recovery. You can’t pinpoint it exactly,” he told reporters.
A first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dart showed promising form in his debut season. In beating the Cowboys, he threw for 230 passing yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for another 54 yards. Dart was replaced by veteran quarterback Jameis Winston, who completed just 11-of-27 passes for 111 yards and no touchdowns, along with two sacks and one interception.
Harbaugh backed 32-year-old Winston — a former Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Cleveland quarterback who joined the Giants last year — to improve on his rusty Monday showing. “Jameis has been practicing every day. You know, he’s taking reps. He knows the offense. He has been in every single meeting,” said Harbaugh. “He has been engaged every step of the way with everything we’re doing. So, from that perspective, it’s seamless. It’s not ideal at all, but it’s definitely seamless.”
Dart’s injury is one of several to have struck down NFL quarterbacks in the opening two weeks of the season. On Sunday, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered an elbow injury in his team’s loss to the Cowboys, while Chicago Bears star Caleb Williams was also injured in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Williams’ backup, Tyson Bagent, is also facing a potential spell on the sidelines after being placed in the concussion protocol on Sunday. In week one, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a glute injury, while Minnesota’s Kyler Murray suffered a concussion.
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