The New York Giants are coming off another disappointing season; however, they have a few reasons to be optimistic entering 2026. One reason for excitement is the hiring of head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh is one of the most well-respected coaches in football and comes to New York with the goal of turning the Giants back into contenders. Another reason for optimism is quarterback Jaxson Dart.
He was the Giants’ first-round pick in the previous NFL Draft and showed flashes of strong play during his rookie season. However, he spent too much time on the injury report because of the many unnecessary hits he was taking. Still, Dart has the potential to become the Giants’ franchise quarterback, and Eli Manning has praised his skill set.
Eli Manning Compares Jaxson Dart to NFL MVP
As a 16-year NFL quarterback, Eli Manning has seen nearly everything, making his perspective on Jaxson Dart noteworthy. Manning told RG.org he was impressed with Dart throughout the season, citing his ability to quickly pick up the offense, make plays and extend them by scrambling. Manning added that Dart avoided common mistakes for a young quarterback, including forcing throws into double coverage.
Manning also compared Dart’s playing style to that of former NFL MVP Josh Allen. “He kind of has that Josh Allen ability to run and make plays with his feet, which is amazing,” he said, noting that he also delivers throws on time when needed.
Dart finished his rookie season with 2,272 passing yards and 15 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. He also completed 63.7% of his passes, which is a solid number for a rookie. Where he compares favorably to Allen is with his legs; he rushed for 487 yards and 9 touchdowns.
It has been a long time coming for Giants fans to say they are excited about the future. It seems they might finally have the chance to do that this year. They have a coach with a long track record of success, a quarterback they believe in, and some promising pieces on defense.
Even if the Giants are not playoff contenders next season, they should be much more competitive each week. The Giants must be aggressive this offseason if they want to put themselves in a position to compete in 2026. First, they will add players in free agency, then they must hit on the No. 5 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The tide might be changing in New York, but there is still plenty of work to do to get back among the NFL’s elite.
