Jaxson Dart is now the starting quarterback for the New York Giants, so fans are understandably growing curious about his life away from football.
This includes interest in the first-round rookie’s family, especially since his mother is often shown during Giants broadcasts and his father is a former defensive back. Here’s everything to know about Dart’s parents.
Who Are Jaxson Dart’s Parents, Brandon and Kara?
Dart was born to Brandon and Kara Dart on May 13, 2003, in Kaysville, Utah. He used to play both baseball and football as a kid, but eventually followed in his father’s footsteps and focused on football.
“We’re talking like probably two (years old), and we’re out playing catch in the backyard, and he’s just humming them in…” Brandon told Michael Katz of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. “As a little guy, he could throw, he could hit, he could shoot, and he could throw a football. That’s all we would do on the weekends when he was little.
“… He has always loved quarterback, but defensively, he was very, very good and loved that physicality and I think took pride in kind of imposing his will on the other team.”
Jaxson’s parents are still married and have served as a terrific support system for the Giants QB. Brandon attended Northridge High School before playing defensive back for the University of Utah. He suited up for the Utes during two separate stretches, from 1994 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2000.
His freshman year was cut short by an injury, and another setback the next season led to a redshirt. He bounced back the following year, starting 10 games and finishing as Utah’s second-leading tackler with 96 total stops, including 15 tackles for loss.
A knee injury in 1997 forced him to redshirt again. However, he was granted two additional years of eligibility by the NCAA and returned for two more seasons.
While Brandon coached Jaxson during his early years, his mother, Kara, played the role of motivator. Brandon shared that she didn’t hold back when Jaxson underperformed.
“I just remember walking in the house and he’s at the kitchen table and she’s kind of giving it to him, like, ‘Jax, you had a chance at that point in time to blow that dude up,’” Brandon said, recalling a play where Jaxson got juked near the end zone. “‘We don’t take the easy way out!’ And he’s kind of sitting there like, ‘OK mom, OK, OK.’”
Now, Kara has become an overnight sensation since she is often shown on the broadcast during Giants games and goes viral on social media.
Dart played high school football at Roy High School before transferring to Corner Canyon High for his senior year. There, he led the Chargers to a perfect 14-0 record and a 6A UHSAA title, earning Gatorade National Player of the Year honors.
He spent one season at USC before transferring to Ole Miss, where he caught the attention of scouts. He was the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he was recently named the Giants’ starting QB after Russell Wilson’s early-season struggles.
In Dart’s NFL debut, he electrified the Giants’ fan base and led New York to an upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, completing 13 of 20 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 54 yards and a score
So far in his rookie season for the Giants, Dart has made seven starts and has thrown for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He has also rushed for 317 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 carries. According to PFSN’s QB Impact metric, the Giants star is the 14th-ranked quarterback in the league this year.
New York Giants’ Insights for Week 13
Team: According to the PFSN Analytics, the Giants currently have a 13.7% chance of getting the first overall pick. A loss increases the chances to 20.0%, a win drops it to 4.4%.
QB: Jameis Winston posted a QBi of 80.7 (B-) against the Lions, which was the second-highest in Week 12. Winston had the fourth-best QBi (80.3, B-) of Week 11 in his first start.
Offense: The Giants are 0-5 on the road when they have at least a ten-point lead.
Defense: New York has allowed 31.7 points per game during its current six-game losing streak.
Fantasy: Tyrone Tracy has 23 touches in each of his last two games. He has 150 rushing yards over that span, both coming in bad matchups. Fantasy managers will now ask him to overcome yet another one against a Patriots defense that allows the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs.