New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was allowed to make a first impression across the NFL on Sunday, posting his first career start against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The rookie was given the nod over veteran Russell Wilson as the Giants started the year 0-3 and entered Week 4 still searching for their first win.
Does Lane Kiffin See Similarities Between Jaxson Dart and Jalen Hurts?
“I want to do my best to be a spark,” Dart said previously to reporters ahead of getting his first taste of league action. “I want to create excitement on the field. I want to be explosive when opportunities are there and just try to bring a little bit of swagger.”
Ahead of Dart’s first career start, his former Ole Miss head coach, Lane Kiffin, pointed out some similarities between Dart’s play style and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“I just think how [Dart] plays early with the ball in taking care of the football and not pressing and trying to do too much,” Kiffin said on Sunday’s NFL Countdown. “We had Jalen as a freshman … There is a lot of similarities there … The way that they play and run with the ball and their passion for it.”
“There is a lot of similarities there [between Jaxson Dart and Jalen Hurts]. … The way that they play and run with the ball and their passion for it.” đŸ‘€
—Lane Kiffin has high hopes for Jaxson Dart in his first career start for the Giants pic.twitter.com/62IgtPERdC
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 28, 2025
Hurts was recruited by the University of Alabama’s then-offensive coordinator Kiffin before leading the Ole Miss coaching staff. Hurts was drafted as the No. 53 overall pick out of Oklahoma.
Excluding Sunday’s play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hurts has scored seven touchdowns for Philadelphia on the year so far (three passing, four rushing).
Hurts recently won the Super Bowl in 2025 and was named the MVP after the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
After his time with the Rebels, the Giants drafted Dart with the No. 25 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dart rushed for his first career touchdown at the 9:20 mark of the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers, not wasting any time making an impression in the league.
“This guy has played a lot of college ball for a rookie,” Kiffin also said of Dart. “He’s played in a lot of big games [so I told him] just to really take it one step at a time and not try and do too much.”
The New York Giants currently have a D- grade and score of 62.9 in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric. Dart’s previously mentioned TD came as he led the Giants on a nine-play, 89-yard drive and finished it with a 15-yard touchdown run to help put New York up 7-0 early in the first quarter.
Following the conclusion of play against Tampa Bay, Dart and the Giants will turn their attention to their October 5 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
