Jaxson Dart’s development should mirror Super Bowl-winning QB Giants fans are all too familiar with
New York Giants rookie quarterback looks up to Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, and it should serve as a beacon of hope for Giants fans.
New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart reminded fans this past Sunday that he has a long way to go in his development. The growth of any young quarterback isn’t linear and is often marked by many ups and downs.
The Giants are pivoting their focus to the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles this Thursday. While they’re a formidable rival, the Eagles franchise didn’t become the juggernaut they are now overnight. More importantly, their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, took multiple seasons and a coaching change to become the player he is today.
Today, when speaking to the media, Dart shared his respect for Hurts and reflected on the comparison he gave himself to the Eagles star during the predraft process. He specifically highlighted how he elevates his teammates.
“I mean, he’s able to rally the guys around him,” Dart told the media, “I think that the culture that they’ve built, regardless of them being in really tight games, I think that in those situations, it comes down to the leaders of the team. Him being able to go through adversity during games, during a season, and just being able to rally the guys, I think that was something that really stood out to me.”
How Jaxson Dart can compare to Jalen Hurts
Leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Dart shared that he looks up to Hurts’ play style and the way in which he motivates his teammates. He elaborated today on what specifically makes him so special.
“First of all, I love his mentality, his everyday accountability of himself, and at the same time, raising the bar for his teammates,” Dart told the media, “That was something, as an early college player, being able to look up to guys like that. It’s going to be really cool to be on the same field with him and being able to compete against him. At the same time, him just being a really good competitor and being able to do a lot of things with his arm and with his legs and putting his team in really good situations to win.”
Sunday’s loss to the Saints was a serious reality check after Dart sparked optimism in his first start. While it’s essential to acknowledge his flaws, it’s crucial to recognize that this is a multi-year growth process. Hurts is the perfect example to draw from for what Dart could become. Both Hurts and Dart were starters for big-brand college football programs and were questioned during the predraft process about whether they had what it took to start in the NFL.
Hurts was a fringe first-round quarterback but was selected at the beginning of the second round in 2020. His first season was unimpressive as he split time with Carson Wentz, finishing 1-3 with six passing touchdowns and four interceptions. He also originally mainly contributed as a sub-package runner, just like Dart did initially.
It wasn’t until Doug Pederson was fired and Nick Sirianni was brought in for 2021 that his potential was unlocked. Many doubted Hurts would work in the NFL because of his unique play style, but Sirianni saw a gem. Hurts’ first full year as a starter began the Eagles’ accession, as he finished with 26 total touchdowns, nine interceptions, and 784 rushing yards.
All of this context for Hurts should make Giants fans regain hope, just not for this season. Dart’s contribution as a runner is similar to what Hurts did early in his career to help the Eagles win. What must now happen to activate Dart is hiring an offensive-minded coach who intends to be deliberate about utilizing him.
New York Giants News
Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart delivers strong message to his teammates following poor performance against the Saints
New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart reflected on what hurt the team in their Week 5 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
