The 2025 NFL season is finally here for the New York Giants. New York gets ready to face off against Washington in Week 1 of the new season. Rumors have swirled about rookie QB Jaxson Dart playing in Week 1 for the Giants. That remains to be seen, but Giants fans can feel confident that he's ready if his number is called.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll is using lessons he learned from Bill Belichick on rookie Jaxson Dart.
“Dart’s first training camp had a distinctly Bill Belichickian feel. Daboll spent years on Belichick’s Patriots staffs, and he’s borrowing some old tricks to test the rookie: having him hear plays shouted from the sideline instead of through a headset, making him go out for the pregame coin toss with no warning, and dropping him into uncomfortable practice situations just to see how he responds.”
Daboll carried over the same philosophy he learned with the Patriots. If practices are chaotic, that should prepare players for uncomfortable moments on Sundays.
And Dart has reportedly responded well to these challenges. One source told The Athletic's Dianna Russini that Dart “can handle the moment.”
Daboll and the Giants' coaching staff is clearly smitten with their rookie quarterback.
Now the question becomes: how patient will they be before throwing him into the starting lineup?
Will Giants play rookie QB Jaxson Dart in Week 1 against Commanders?
New York already announced that Russell Wilson will be their starter in Week 1. But that does not guarantee that Dart will not see the field in New York's season opener.
The Giants reportedly have prepared a package of plays for Dart ahead of the Sunday's season opener against the Commanders, per NFL Networks' Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Dart wowed New York's coaching staff with strong performances during the preseason. He managed 372 yards for three touchdowns and no interceptions in three preseason games.
It is interesting to hear that Dart has his own package of plays ready to go.
Normally, NFL coaches will take this approach with a scrambling quarterback who can provide a change of pace.
Dart is a mobile quarterback, but he is not an elite athlete who can win solely with his scrambling ability.
It will be fascinating to see how much the Giants use Dart, if at all, on Sunday.
