One of the key questions surrounding the Giants leading up to the 2025 season concerned the quarterback position. Russell Wilson handled starting duties through the first three weeks, but the expected transition to rookie Jaxson Dart has officially taken place. 
When first speaking about the move, head coach Brian Daboll made it clear Dart is viewed as New York’s QB1 the rest of the way. That comes as little surprise, especially given the inherent link between the promise Dart could show upon taking the field and the job security of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Notably, Daboll has since doubled down on the fact he acted alone in making the switch.
[RELATED: Giants Not Expected To Move On From Wilson]
“That’s the direction I wanted to go, and that’s the direction we’re going to go,” the fourth-year coach said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “There are good conversations we had. Those are private, but ultimately it comes down to me.”
Daboll specified those conversations took place with players, but not with the other members of his coaching staff (h/t SNY’s Connor Hughes). Collaboration has long been a talking point during the Schoen-Daboll era, but the absence of it in this case has drawn attention. Considering the magnitude of Dart – a passer the current regime drafted after inheriting Daniel Jones – taking over as it pertains to potential changes on the sidelines and/or in the front office, it is indeed surprising this call was made unilaterally.
Just before the Giants’ Week 2 game, a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated the team was in no hurry to bench Wilson. The Super Bowl winner then threw for 450 yards in a high-scoring overtime loss, a game which seemed to earn him a longer look atop the depth chart. However, a primetime loss to the Chiefs (punctuated by more poor play in the red zone) led to Dart getting the nod for Week 4.
As Hughes notes, the Schefter report did not originate from Daboll. The embattled HC did not specify that Schoen and/or members of ownership were the source of the report, but Hughes adds that is the (rather strong) implication. This represents another layer to the Dart decision, one which will surely go down as a defining one for the current iteration of the Giants based on his success upon taking on starting duties.
The 0-3 Giants will host the 3-0 Chargers on Sunday. That will of course prove to be a challenge for Dart and the offense, a unit which will continue to see OC Mike Kafka handle play-calling duties. Given the specific nature of the decision to change quarterbacks, scrutiny on Daboll will no doubt increase quickly if things do not go according to plan.
Brian and Joe have got to go. If Daniel Jones leads Indy to good winning record not a 9-8 sneak into playoffs that would be worse than Saquon last year.
Barkley is worse because he was the Giants’ best player, led Philly to a Super Bowl win, and now has his own hoagie at Wawa.
Speaking of Jones, the Colts are in the Rams’ house this weekend in a 4:05 special. What game is Fox sending to New York? Jaguars-49ers.
When you hire a HC based on a belief that he develops QBs, it is much worse to learn that you got conned.
Barkley leaving was a choice. A bottom 5 team not paying top of the market money for a great – but often injured – RB coming off a 900-yard season was probably the right call … even knowing what he did behind a dominant OLine.
But realizing that you released a legit starting QB because your HC was just bad at his job? That’s way worse.
Yep a QB guru that sucked worked with a QB that has looked impressive on a new team. Joe couldn’t build around the QB either.
To be fair though, Jones had 6 years playing for the Giants and did not distinguish himself in any positive way. His QB rating was 84 which was pretty bad. He did have 3 head coaches there though- Shurmer, Judge, Daboll, which surely wasn’t a good thing. Good for Jones he’s standing behind a good offensive line in Indy.
After the colts get spanked by rams this weekend and Jones is once again exposed as what he is, just barely above justinept, you should self mute.
We also have learned that Josh Allen’s development was due to Josh Allen, not Brian Daboll.
When you’re in a hole, keep digging
The Giants have found their “Sad Hill”…link to youtube.com
Desperation is a stinky cologne
Any serious Giants fans knew the start of the season was brutal. Did any fan really expect a 2-1 or better record? It’s a very tough schedule. However, honestly, I expected more from the defense.
This exactly. At best this was a 5-6 win team on paper but the defense was supposed to be a strong point. Bowen will be the first one fired this season.
Agreed…Bowen Mr. bend but don’t break has to go….but you have to question both the GM and HC for hiring him in the first place…he’s using the same approach on Defense he did with the Titans and it didn’t work very well then either…..which is what got. him fired from that job…..
Daboll and Schoen are going to burn the team to the ground, and leave a dookie on the carpet before being escorted out of New York.
If anything, maybe this decouples Daboll and Schoen and you can fire Daboll and not fire Schoen. Schoen has had some solid drafts and there’s every reason to believe that Daboll ruins whoever Schoen drafts. Just last week Daboll’s brilliant offensive game plan had them almost never throwing in Nabers’s direction.
I’d still fire both but there’s some wiggle room now.
Schoen may have had a couple of good drafts but a couple of stinkers too…and he’s the architect of bringing in guys like this dud Hudson at “swing tackle” to stink up a game….his eye for talent is concerning and this roster isn’t anywhere near ready for prime time as yet…..you may hate Jimmy Johnson, but he had one of the keenest eyes for talent that would fit his scheme in Dallas that many of us have ever seen…..the Giants passed on Dan Campbell who should have been the guy to lead them out of the forest….
I have a ton of respect for Jimmy Johnson. Not only for the reasons you mention, but he also had to work under and with Jerry Jones. Ever since Jimmy Johnson left Dallas, it’s been Jerry’s team. They won one last Super Bowl with Jimmy’s players, then it’s been not much to talk about for 30 years.
Daboll didn’t consult the coaching staff or management? Well I say Bravo! to that. If you hire someone to lead the team then let the guy display some leadership. Way too many advisors, consultants and bureaucracy in the league already.
Madness they didn’t trade out of the Carter slot. Madness they didn’t trade one of their 2 other very good edge rushers once they had an idea they were going to draft Carter. This team just doesn’t hit on draft picks often enough. The fact that they keep churning coaches and GMs tells me the bigger issue is probably further up the ladder. Bad drafts, bad GM hires, bad coaching hires…might have to wait for the owner to die, like Cowboys fans.
Don’t see the “very good edge rushers” on this team….they don’t get to the QB anywhere near having an impact on the game but you don’t trade a strength anyway to improve another mediocre part of the roster…..I do agree that the Mara’s need to either sell the team or get out of the team politics altogether and let football execs run it….too many Mara’s have a say especially in player eval and drafting…..
I’m not going to fault them for the Carter pick or for keeping Burns/Thibs. You need a solid defense in this league and the Giants haven’t had it. Those moves are the least of their problems.
They will also never be a good team until they fix the OL. It’s been trash for almost 15 years.
It’s the smart move. He gave Wilson a chance to shine. This gets the fans off of his back. Gives Wilson a chance to take it in and breathe. Dart stumbles you put Wilson back in and call it a learning step.
It’s his final card to play. If Dart struggles he’s gone. There’s no going back to Wilson.
Even Russ knows he stunk up Pitt last year and is enough of a vet to realize his 3 game performance leaves a lot to be desired….he’s staying in NY this season while Ciara his wife glams up the Page Six NY Post pages moving her career forward in the NY limelight…..if Dart either stalls or gets hurt, he could be right back in….
Daboll isn’t going to do that unless there’s an injury. It makes no sense for him keeping his job to do anything else but ride out Dart and hope he shows improvement and the team responds to him under center. Anything else at this point, meaning putting Wilson back in there or Winston even, does nothing for him. Daboll is gone if it gets to that point so if it happens, an interim coach will have made that decision
Well I’ll have to disagree with. you dirtbag…..Daboll isn’t going to keep Dart in there to become a human piñata…if the O-Line falls apart, I’ll bet he”ll opt for a veteran QB who can better deal with the rush….whether that means Wilson or Winston….don’t know….but one way or another, Mara isn’t going to let Daboll make Dart into another Jones with happy feet because of the rush…..
Fans don’t sign his paycheck.
No chance he made this decision on his own, its a nice narrative to put out there.
If the Giants had a “think tank” making decisions this is how it would operate…link to youtube.com