Jaxson Dart denies fitness concerns: “It just gets me excited”
As he approaches the end of an all-action rookie season, the New York Giants quarterback was asked about the high number of hits he has suffered.
It’s been a third straight losing season for the New York Giants but the performances of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will be cause for optimism among fans.
Dart has been an all-action presence for the Giants, willing to run the ball and take contact when required. That dynamic style has resulted in five concussion checks since Dart joined up with the team over the summer, sparking concern about his long-term fitness.
The 22-year-old took 15 hits in Sunday’s 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders, the joint-most of any of his games this season. The Commanders reportedly sought to target Dart’s running game, attempting to get in as many hits as possible on the rookie QB. On Wednesday Dart was asked whether he was worried about the level of attention that he is receiving from opposition teams.
“Absolutely not,” Dart replied. “I mean, [Georgia coach] Kirby Smart said the exact same thing every time he played against me. So did [former Alabama coach] Nick Saban. So did every coach that I played in college. This is nothing new. Just try to go out there and play smart. Be available for my team.”
“It just gets me excited. Just as a competitor, you want to go out there and compete,” the quarterback continued. “Obviously, they’re acknowledging respect in a way. So I appreciate that. You want to go out there and play really good for your team. I think any time there are teams that are game-planning and they give respect to a player, I think it’s for a reason. We do the exact same thing when we go against defenses.”
Across the 2025 season Dart’s seven rushing touchdowns ranks third of all NFL quarterbacks. The Giants have insisted that they will not seek to limit his rushing game, despite the high number of hits that he has taken.
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