For the first time in several years, the New York Giants enter 2026 with legitimate postseason aspirations, placing added pressure on former first-round pick Jaxson Dart. With offseason workouts now underway, newly appointed offensive coordinator Matt Nagy made his expectations clear for the young quarterback as he enters his second season.
Matt Nagy Sets the Stage for Jaxson Dart
On day one of the Giants’ offseason workouts, Nagy addressed the media, outlining his feelings and expectations, especially for Dart.
“The one thing I love about Jaxson, is Jaxson wants to be the best. He really does. When you have that, that’s half the battle. He’s a connector himself. Just seeing and hearing from other coaches how much he’s connected with his teammates last year, that’s awesome.”
“He wants to be the best. He wants to be coached hard, have that discipline, and work on his footwork, his timing, and his connection with teammates. We’re going to do that,” the coordinator noted.
Nagy later added, “The thing I would say with that conversation that I’ve had with Jaxson is just what you said. I think it’s a great point. He’s Jaxson Dart. He’s not Patrick Mahomes. I was able to be fortunate enough to be around Patrick for many years, and I saw Patrick as a rookie, and I got to see him when I came back from Chicago four years in.”
“I got to see four more years of him as a vet. But we can use that for more, like, routines and maybe how we did things, but the one thing that I know – first of all, I know how much respect that Jaxson has for Patrick. We’ve talked a little bit about the process and what he’s been through, but we’ve also made it clear, you have to be Jaxson Dart.”
Nagy struck a balanced tone when discussing Jaxson Dart, emphasizing that while the coaching staff will guide and support him, the onus is also on Dart to communicate what works best for him as he develops. He stressed a deliberate, structured approach to that process, making it clear the team wants to be intentional in how they build around the young quarterback.
Nagy also pointed to the value of experience in the room, highlighting Brian Callahan’s exposure to elite quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, and Joe Burrow as a key asset in shaping Dart’s growth.
In 14 games as a rookie, Dart completed 63.7% of his passes, averaged 162.3 yards per game, and threw 15 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. On the ground, he recorded 487 yards and an additional 9 scores.
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According to PFSN’s metrics, Dart posted a 76.5 impact score, ranking 18th among all signal-callers. Notably, he also placed first among all rookie passers and only one spot behind two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes.
Dart now aims to take a major step in 2026. With Nagy, John Harbaugh, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and a strong defense, playoff hopes are within reach for the Big Blue.
