New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart could miss the remainder of the season after an MRI showed his knee injury is more severe than expected, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Initial reports said Dart sprained his MCL in Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but he needed further imaging to determine the injury's extent.
Dart is now getting additional opinions on his knee to assess whether he needs surgery, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. The outcome will reveal whether he'll miss the rest of the year.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh said the team has learned a lot more about Dart's injury, but evaluations are still ongoing.
"We haven't got any final decisions yet," Harbaugh said shortly after reports about Dart's injury emerged Tuesday, per SNYGiants. "I wouldn't really want to share too much until decisions get made, and that takes more than one person. It takes everybody involved."
Dart suffered the injury during the Giants' first offensive possession when his leg appeared to bend awkwardly after being hit by Rams defenders Josaiah Stewart and Byron Young while he attempted a pass.
Jameis Winston, who came in for Dart on Monday, is slated to be New York's starting quarterback as the young signal-caller recovers. Winston struggled against the Rams on Monday, completing just 11 of his 27 passes for 111 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. The Giants also failed to find the end zone under him, settling for just two field goals in the 28-6 loss.
Keeping Dart healthy was a priority for New York in Harbaugh's first season as the head coach. The 2025 first-round pick took 35 sacks in 12 starts as a rookie and missed two games due to a concussion.
A former No. 1 overall pick, Winston holds a career record of 36-53 with 156 touchdowns to 114 interceptions. He made two starts for the Giants last season, though the team lost both. His last long-term stretch as a starter came in 2024 when he made seven consecutive starts for the Cleveland Browns, going 2-5.
The 1-1 Giants play the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints, and Houston Texans before their Week 8 bye.
