Jaxson Dart throws TD, fumbles, gets banged up in first Giants start

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News on Aug 21, 2025

Published in Football

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. — Jaxson Dart checked off another milestone Thursday night on his steady climb toward early regular-season playing time. But it didn’t happen without a hiccup.

The Giants’ first-round pick made his first start as an NFL quarterback in the team’s 42-10 preseason-finale romp over the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. And he lit off early fireworks with an opening drive touchdown.

Then the rookie fumbled late in the first quarter and absorbed a huge hit that prompted the concussion spotter to pull him off the field for an evaluation. Dart was evaluated for a concussion and was cleared to return to the sideline shortly after, but he did not play again in the game.

It all amounted to an eventful night for Dart full of accomplishments and lessons learned.

On the opening drive, Dart improvised and hit wide receiver Gunner Olszewski for a 50-yard catch and run down to the Patriots’ 11-yard line. Then he hit tight end Greg Dulcich up the middle for a 7-yard touchdown reception on third down to take an early 7-0 lead.

Brian Daboll rested most of his starters after playing them in the Giants’ first two preseason games against the Bills and Jets. So the coach thrust his first-round rookies Dart and Abdul Carter front and center on Thursday.

Daboll interestingly even made Dart and Carter his only two captains for the game, even though plenty of veterans took the field, as well.

Dart’s second and third drives ended in punts. His fourth drive nearly ended with a turnover.

Dart scrambled for 23 yards on a fourth-and-4 conversion from the Giants’ 45-yard line, but instead of sliding down to the turf, he tried to juke a defender and take him on. And Patriots linebacker Jack Gibbens punched the ball out as Dart got his arm, body and head slammed to the turf.

New England’s Jabrill Peppers recovered.

The officials removed Dart from the game before the ensuing snap. That’s what happens when the concussion spotter identifies a player for evaluation. So Dart had to leave and go into the medical tent.

The Giants got the ball back, fortunately, because of a Patriots defensive holding call on the play. And somehow officials counted Dart’s gain to advance the Giants inside the 30.

So Dart’s fumble didn’t count as a turnover. And Jameis Winston promptly replaced Dart to hit Jalin Hyatt for a 27-yard touchdown.

And that’s how Dart’s preseason ended: completing 6 of 12 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, and learning the hard way that he needs to slide in the pros.