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One connection that New York Giants legend Eli Manning shares with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is that they both played football for the Ole Miss Rebels.
Fanatics welcomed the 2025 class of NFL rookies to the league with gifts from legends of the sport. Manning sent a message to Dart, who is in the same position he was in 21 years ago as a rookie.
“Hey, Jaxson,” Manning began in his video. “It's been an honor to watch you these past three years break all my records at Ole Miss.”
Before they were legends, they were rookies.
We welcomed the rookie class to the @NFL with a special surprise from some of the game's biggest stars. pic.twitter.com/6m98AOMupP— Fanatics (@Fanatics) August 5, 2025
It also appears Manning gifted a jersey to other rookies as well. He may have inscribed them with the same message, as the rookies finish the sentence. “Every day you have a choice to get better or get worse,” it begins. “No one stays the same. Make the right choice.”
Eli Manning and Jaxson Dart's Giants careers
Of course, Dart's career with the New York Giants is only just beginning. He was drafted with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Giants traded back into the first round to select him after they selected Abdul Carter with the third overall pick.
Currently, Dart is in his first training camp with Big Blue. Russell Wilson was recently named the starter heading into the regular season. Dart's time will come sooner rather than later.
He is competing for the number two spot with Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito. Wilson and Winston were both brought in as free agents during the offseason. DeVito is the longest-tenured with the Giants out of the bunch, as he has been with them since 2023.
Manning is the franchise leader in most of the Giants' passing statistical categories. He retired following the 2019 season when another young quarterback, Daniel Jones, was drafted to seemingly take over the reins. Jones would eventually be cut after an up-and-down career with the Giants during the 2024 season. He led them to one playoff berth in his career with the team.
Throughout his career, Manning was a four-time Pro Bowler. More importantly, he won two Super Bowls, both over the New England Patriots. Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in both games.
