New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart opened the 2026 season looking like one of the NFL’s rising stars. Two weeks later, his season was over. Here is what happened to Jaxson Dart, what his surgery repaired, and whether he could return before the year is out.
What happened to Jaxson Dart
Dart hurt his left knee when he was hit by two Los Angeles Rams defenders on the Giants’ opening drive of a 28-6 Monday night loss at SoFi Stadium in Week 2, according to Giants.com. He had completed three of five passes for 20 yards before going down on the seventh play from scrimmage.
Head coach John Harbaugh announced on Sept. 24 that Dart would miss the rest of the regular season, and the team placed him on injured reserve. Dart had knee surgery on Sept. 25 to repair a full meniscus tear, with damage to his MCL and PCL also addressed. His ACL was intact, CBS Sports reported, citing The Athletic and ESPN. The expected recovery time is four to six months.
Harbaugh said after the procedure that doctors did not find anything beyond the expected damage, OutKick reported.
Timeline
- Week 1: In a win over the Dallas Cowboys, Dart became the first quarterback in NFL history to open a season with at least three passing touchdowns, 50 rushing yards and a passer rating of 130, per Giants.com.
- Week 2 (Monday night): Dart injures his left knee against the Rams. Jameis Winston finishes the game.
- Sept. 24: Harbaugh rules Dart out for the regular season and names Winston the starter. Dart goes on injured reserve.
- Sept. 25: Dart has surgery to repair his meniscus and address MCL and PCL damage.
- Sept. 28: The Giants acquire quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to the team’s transaction log on Giants.com.
- Oct. 1: Harbaugh calls a playoff return “a little ambitious” after hearing Dart had hinted at one.
- Week 7: The Giants plan to start McCarthy, according to ProFootballRumors via Pro-Football-Reference.
Could Dart return for the playoffs?
Harbaugh has been careful to rule Dart out only for the regular season. “I think I said it, yeah. I said it – regular season,” he said on Sept. 24. “Other than that, how do you know? There’s no way to know. It just depends on the recovery. You can’t pinpoint it exactly.”
The math is tight. Four months from the Sept. 25 surgery is Jan. 25, 2027, OutKick noted, which falls just after the scheduled NFL Divisional Round. CBS Sports noted that the playoffs begin Jan. 16. Dr. Drew Burdi, a former college quarterback who is now a foot and ankle surgeon, told OutKick a return was possible “in some world,” but said he expects the Giants to hold Dart out rather than risk his long-term health.
Why it matters
Dart is the Giants’ franchise quarterback, and his fast start had raised expectations for the 2026 season. Losing him after seven plays of Week 2 forced the team to rebuild its offense around a backup. Harbaugh described the shift as “a lane change as opposed to changing direction,” since the plays were already in the playbook.
The move to McCarthy matters too. The Giants traded for him less than a month before naming him the starter, and how he plays could shape both this season and the team’s quarterback plans after Dart returns.
Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, signed a two-year contract extension five days before the season, according to Giants.com. He had started two games for the Giants in 2025 while Dart, then a rookie, was out with a concussion. In those games he threw two touchdowns, ran for another and caught a 33-yard touchdown on a trick play in Detroit. After Dart went down against the Rams, Winston completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and an interception. Harbaugh also said the team wanted to add a veteran to the quarterback room and that a trade was on the table, which led to the McCarthy deal days later.
What’s next
Dart will spend the rest of the regular season rehabbing. His recovery window of four to six months points to a return between late January and March 2027. If the Giants reach the postseason, his status will become one of the team’s biggest storylines. Otherwise, the focus shifts to making sure he is fully healthy for the 2027 season.
FAQ
What injury did Jaxson Dart suffer?
He suffered a left knee injury that required surgery to repair a full meniscus tear. Damage to his MCL and PCL was also addressed, and his ACL was intact.
Is Jaxson Dart out for the season?
He is out for the rest of the 2026 regular season. Coach John Harbaugh has not ruled out a playoff return, but called it ambitious.
How long is Jaxson Dart’s recovery?
The expected recovery time is four to six months from his Sept. 25 surgery, which points to late January through March 2027.
Who is the Giants’ quarterback now?
Jameis Winston started after Dart’s injury. The Giants traded for J.J. McCarthy on Sept. 28 and plan to start him in Week 7.
Web story: Jaxson Dart Knee Injury: Giants QB Out for Season