New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart reportedly needs season-ending surgery after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of Monday night’s game.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, as well as ESPN’s Adam Schefter, reported the news Wednesday, saying that he suffered damage to his MCL, PCL and meniscus.
Dart was injured in the team’s first drive of the game against the Los Angeles Rams. He was taken out and did not return. Jameis Winston replaced Dart on the ensuing Giants drive, and he’ll be the Giants’ starting quarterback from here on out.
Head coach John Harbaugh initially would not confirm reports later in the night that Dart sprained his MCL, choosing to wait for further testing.
While speaking to the media on Tuesday, Harbaugh did not confirm Dart’s status for the rest of the season, instead saying that “evaluations are ongoing” and nothing has been fully decided.
Dart, who was 3 of 5 passing for 20 yards, spent the second half of Monday’s game on the sideline in street clothes.
Injuries have defined the early portions of Dart’s career. Drafted 25th overall in 2025, Dart underwent five concussion tests during his rookie season and missed two games with a head injury. He had another concussion test in the 2026 preseason before suffering the knee injury in Week 2.
Dart’s injury comes after the Giants impressed in Week 1 with a 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He went 23 of 29 for 230 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers in the victory.
Now, New York will turn to the veteran Winston for the foreseeable future. The former No. 1 overall pick, now 32, signed a two-year extension with the Giants earlier this month. Jake Haener, currently on the practice squad, is the only other quarterback on the team at this time.
