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For 16 years, the New York Giants had stability at quarterback. Under the guidance of Eli Manning, New York saw two Super Bowl victories. After Manning retired, though, it took some time to find their next guy. Daniel Jones showed flashes over his first few years with the Giants after being selected sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, but flamed out after one good season. Several signal callers came through New York, such as Tyrod Taylor, Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock, and Russell Wilson, but none were the answer Big Blue was looking for. Enter Jaxson Dart. The 25th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has taken the league by storm. Since being inserted as the starter in Week 4, he hasn’t looked back. The Gians may have found their franchise guy, and he even has a stamp of approval from Manning himself. Eli Manning Says Giants Have Their Guy Manning, joined by his parents, Archie and Olivia Manning, on the Up & Adams show, spoke about the New York Giants’ rookie quarterback and stated their belief in Dart. “We follow the Giants, and I pull hard…We’ve always known the ownership. And yeah, Jaxson’s giving them a little spark there,” said Arch Manning to Kay Adams. “He’s played some good football when he’s gotten in there and got the offense rolling. I think Jaxson will keep playing good and be a really good, solid quarterback for the New York Giants.” It’s high praise coming from the elder Manning, who spent 13 years in the NFL as a quarterback himself from 1971 to 1984. Eli shared his thoughts as well on his fellow Ole Miss alumnus. He even cracked a joke about Dart’s rising popularity in the New York-New Jersey area. “I got to call him for reservations now. He’s the toast of the town, and that’s exciting,” Manning said with a smile. “Feels like they have their quarterback. They got their guy, which is exciting…I think as a rookie in the NFL, every week is just a learning experience.” “You’re going to do some great things, but it’s just going to prepare you for the next week and for the next year. I think he has that work ethic. He has that commitment to getting better each and every week, not repeating mistakes and taking those next steps.” Dart’s Franchise Revitalizing Rookie Season New York Giants fans haven’t had much to cheer about in recent years, but that’s changed with Dart under center. The rookie is the current odds-on favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year in a majority of sports books. Despite New York’s overall struggles, Dart has racked up some gaudy numbers in six starts. He’s completed 62.3% of his passes for 1175 yards, to go along with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. Dart has been a threat on the ground as well, carrying the ball 51 times for 251 yards and five rushing touchdowns. It’s safe to say the rookie has been a catalyst for the Giants’ offense and provides them a foundational piece to build upon for years to come.
