Jaxson Dart’s 2026 season is officially done, and that’s just brutal news for the New York Giants. The young quarterback will reportedly undergo knee surgery after getting banged up during Monday night’s absolutely gut-wrenching 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Talk about a double whammy to start the week, right? While everyone’s saying he’s gonna make a full recovery, having your starting QB out for the year this early is a massive blow to any team’s plans and an immediate shift in their season trajectory.
The Play That Changed Everything For Dart
Dude, the injury itself was rough to watch. It happened in the first quarter, during the opening drive of the game. Dart dropped back to pass, feeling that pressure, and tried to jump and get a throw off downfield. That’s when it went sideways. Rams linebackers Josaiah Stewart and Byron Young sandwiched him, and he hit the ground holding his left knee. You could tell right away it wasn’t good. He limped off the field, initially listed as questionable, but then ruled out for good. After X-rays came back negative, you kinda hoped for the best, but he returned to the sideline later without his uniform, and that’s never a good sign. The team got back home from Los Angeles, and the MRI on Tuesday confirmed everyone’s worst fears. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo broke the news that the damage was actually worse than expected, even if the ACL is thankfully intact. He’s got damage to his MCL, PCL, and meniscus. Yeah, that’s three different ligaments, man. No wonder surgery is coming. He’s even been getting other opinions on it, which just shows how serious this is.
Harbaugh’s Mixed Messages and Other Giants Headaches
Giants head coach John Harbaugh met with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, and he was obviously in a tough spot. He said Dart was still being evaluated and that they hadn’t made any final decisions on his future status, trying to keep things close to the vest. He mentioned the team “learned a lot more” after the MRI results, which, if you piece it together, means the news wasn’t good. Harbaugh’s quote, “It’s an ongoing conversation about the health of a player, of a person. We’ve got to prepare for the range of possibilities,” sounds super cautious, and when asked about season-ending surgery, he dodged it completely, saying, “I don’t think I could really comment on that right now until we know for sure what’s going to transpire.” Pretty telling, given the surgery reports already out there. But hey, Dart wasn’t the only one hurting. Wide receiver Malik Nabers popped his right shoulder out in the first quarter, popped it back in himself, and somehow returned to the game. Linebacker Brian Burns also got his left ankle rolled on and needed help getting off the field, diagnosed with a low ankle sprain and spotted in a boot. It was just a brutal night for Giants health.
So, where do the Giants go from here? Jameis Winston, who signed a two-year, $13-million extension before Week 1, finished the Rams game going 11-for-27 with only 111 passing yards, an interception, and took two sacks. This is a massive hit to the Giants’ early season, and now the focus shifts hard to Winston. What does he have in the tank to keep them competitive? This early injury to Dart changes everything for how they approach this whole season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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