FILE - New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart drops back to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file)
FILE - New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis, file)
FILE - New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) and running back Cam Skattebo (44) in action against the Kansas City Chiefs during an NFL football game on Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Brad Penner/AP Images for Panini, file)
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson is seen after throwing an incomplete pass on fourth down during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Brian Daboll says selecting Jaxson Dart as the Giants’ starting QB is his decision
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) 鈥 Brian Daboll on Wednesday declined to explain the move of benching Russell Wilson and making Jaxson Dart the New York Giants starting quarterback, other than to repeatedly say it was his decision to turn to the rookie right away and for the rest of the season.
FILE - New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart drops back to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) 鈥 Brian Daboll on Wednesday declined to explain the move of benching Russell Wilson and making Jaxson Dart the New York Giants starting quarterback, other than to repeatedly say it was his decision to turn to the rookie right away and for the rest of the season.
The fourth-year coach called his conversations with Wilson, Dart, general manager Joe Schoen and ownership private and refused to elaborate on how the team’s 0-3 start, his job security or other factors played into the change at football’s most important position.
鈥淚 did it,” Daboll said during a curt pre-practice news conference. “Not going to get into the specifics. I think it鈥檚 the right thing for our football team, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 doing it.鈥
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Daboll said offensive coordinator Mike Kafka would retain the play-calling duties with Dart set to take over beginning Sunday against the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers.
Wilson to this point had attempted every pass for the Giants since the season began and is believed to have gotten the vast majority of practice work with the first team.
鈥淗e just needs to go out there and do his job: just make good decisions, throw the ball where he needs to throw it, make loose plays if he needs to make loose plays and take care of it 鈥 and not have to do any more than that,鈥 Daboll said. 鈥淭here鈥檒l be a lot of things to learn from. I鈥檝e done this once before. It鈥檚 not perfect, but I know he鈥檚 doing everything he can do to get ready to play this game and that鈥檚 all you can ask for.鈥
Daboll saying he had “done this once before鈥 is a reference to Buffalo’s Josh Allen starting 11 games as a rookie in 2018. Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator at the time.
Dart, whom the Giants to select with the 25th pick, is seen internally as their quarterback of the future. He has been on the field for six plays through three games.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any rookie quarterback is ever just ready to play,” Daboll said. “You put him in there because you think that he鈥檚 done enough to show you that he can go out there and compete. He鈥檚 done that every step of the way, and that鈥檚 why I made the decision.鈥
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Asked if Wilson would be the backup for the rest of the season, Daboll said: 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be the backup. He鈥檚 the backup quarterback.” Asked if the team would grant the 36-year-old Super Bowl champion’s release if requested like it did 10 months ago when Daniel Jones lost the starting role, Daboll said he was not focused on that.
鈥淩uss has been a professional, he was a professional and he鈥檚 going to do everything he can do to help this team out in the role he鈥檚 in,鈥 Daboll said.
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