Giants enter uncertain post-Jaxson Dart era with Jameis Winston taking over season
The Giants open their 2026 season Sunday afternoon against the Titans at MetLife Stadium. Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.Officially, of course, their season began two weeks ago, but this is now A.D. After Dart. This is the first game in the A.D.
era, a forthcoming span of time the Giants never envisioned having to live through. The unthinkable happened when Dart, seven snaps into the second game of his second season, went down and out with a left knee injury, sending shock waves reverberating through a franchise that one week earlier delighted in showcasing what all the hubbub surrounding this 23-year-old quarterback was all about. That is all gone now, until 2027.The season is not over but the feel of this Giants journey now takes on a different tone. Dart underwent surgery Friday at the Hospital for Special Surgery to repair his left meniscus and medial collateral ligament.
It’s expected to be a 4-6 month recovery period.He should be ready to roll in plenty of time for the 2027 season.
Between then and now, the Giants will play 15 regular season games.As head coach John Harbaugh reminded everyone, this is not tennis, not a one-man game. “You don’t forfeit,” Harbaugh said. You do move on. Harbaugh admitted the team meeting Wednesday, after the worst-case scenario with Dart was confirmed, was “challenging.” His immediate task went from planning to win with Dart to figuring out how to win without him, and to convince his players about that, as well.
Harbaugh said Thursday’s practice was “probably our best practice of the season.” Now it is time to make it count. “The preparation is what matters, and our football team will be out there playing the game and I’m looking forward to seeing how they play,” Harbaugh said. The next step will be taken with Jameis Winston, the likable, passionate 32-year-old with the effervescent personality and loosey-goosey...