Giants fans have been waiting all offseason to see what Jaxson Dart looks like against real NFL bodies, and his preseason debut against the Vikings gave them a little bit of everything. Big-time throw, ugly hits, a scare that had the building holding its breath. Classic rookie QB welcome-to-the-league game.
A Giants quarterback takes a hit near midfield late in the first quarter with the Vikings up 3-0, prompting jokes about his preseason being over.
That clip made the rounds as a joke about Dart's preseason getting cut short, but it wasn't just internet hyperbole — reports out of the game confirm Dart actually did get sent to the medical tent for a brief evaluation after a hard hit from Vikings defender Jay Ward. Trainers cleared him fast, and he was back on the field just two plays later. Still, for a franchise that's pinned its future on this kid, that walk to the tent had to feel like an eternity.
A Vikings defender sprints downfield after a tackle in the Giants' preseason opener, with the scoreboard showing Minnesota up 3-0.
Then Dart did what the Giants drafted him to do. Once he got back out there, he led a 10-play drive that flipped the game, capping it with a 15-yard touchdown strike to rookie receiver Malachi Fields. Dart finished the outing 3-for-4 for 26 yards and the score — not exactly a huge sample size, but every throw mattered given the circumstances.
Dart connects with Malachi Fields for a touchdown, and the two are shown celebrating with teammates on the Giants sideline.
It's a small moment, but it's the kind of thing that gets people excited in a building that's craved a real answer at quarterback for years. Fields going up and making a play at the catch point, Dart delivering it on target under pressure — that's the connection the Giants need to become a weekly thing, not a preseason highlight.
The health scare is what'll linger, though. Preseason football exists for reps, not for rookie quarterbacks getting lit up by NFL-caliber pass rushers, and Barstool's football crowd was quick to note the irony of a game meant to keep Dart healthy nearly doing the opposite. He walked away fine this time. The Giants will be holding their breath every time he drops back for the rest of the summer.