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.
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“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.