Jaxson Dart injury update as Giants QB hurts knee, exits MNF game vs Rams - USA Today

The New York Giants appeared to lost their quarterback to injury early in Week 2's "Monday Night Football" game.

Jaxson Dart went down with an apparent leg injury on the Giants' first drive of the night against the Los Angeles Rams. The second-year quarterback took a hit from a couple of Rams defenders after he threw on New York's seventh play from scrimmage, and he stayed down on the ground, grabbing at his leg after the play was over.

After receiving medical attention on the field, Dart was able to walk off the field under his own power. The quarterback went to the Giants' sideline blue medical tent for further evaluation, then walked out of the tent and back to the locker room.

Dart, 23, missed two games last year after sustaining a concussion but otherwise has not missed time with injury early in his career.

New York's backup quarterback is veteran Jameis Winston, and he led the Giants' offense on their second drive.

NFL Media and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport reported after the game that Dart "is believed to have suffered a sprained MCL based on the initial exams." X-rays on his knee were negative, and the Giants' quarterback will receive an MRI on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Rapoport wrote that Dart "is expected to miss some time, though in general, positive news."

The Giants announced that Dart is out of their Week 2 game against the Rams with a knee injury.

New York general manager Joe Schoen told ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, "He's going to be OK."

The second-year quarterback took a hit from two Rams defenders after making a throw at the end of the Giants' first drive. Dart appeared to take a blow to his left knee in the hit, and he remained down on the field, grabbing his leg after the play.

New York's starting quarterback eventually walked off the field under his own power. After a brief medical evaluation in the Giants' sideline medical tent, he walked back to his team's locker room with a slight limp and without any help from trainers.

ESPN cameras later showed Dart getting onto a cart outside of the Giants' locker room. Announcer Joe Buck reported he was on his way to the X-ray room at SoFi Stadium.

No, Dart will not return to the Week 2 "Monday Night Football" game. The Giants announced early in the third quarter that their starting quarterback was downgraded from questionable to out of the matchup with a knee injury.

ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan reported that Dart tried to return to the game in the first half, but the Giants did not allow him to come back into the Week 2 matchup.

Winston will finish out the game as New York's quarterback barring his own injury.

Jameis Winston is the Giants' backup quarterback. The 32-year-old veteran journeyman is in his second season with Big Blue after signing a two-year, $8 million deal before the 2025 season.

Winston appeared in three games and started two of them for the Giants last season when Dart missed time with a concussion. In those three outings, Winston went 0-2 as a starter, throwing for 567 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on a 56.1% completion rate. He also caught a 33-yard touchdown pass on a trick play.

Behind Winston on the depth chart is practice squad quarterback Jake Haener, though he is not on the active roster on Sept. 21, nor listed as the emergency third quarterback in Week 2.

New York only has two quarterbacks on its active roster in Week 2 of the 2026 season. Dart is questionable to return to the "Monday Night Football" clash with the Rams after he injured his knee on the Giants' first offensive drive of the game.

Winston is in to lead New York's offense after Dart's injury. The veteran journeyman is in his second season as the Giants' backup quarterback.

There is no one behind Winston on the Giants' depth chart and active roster. Jake Haener, the former Saints' fourth-round pick in 2023, is on New York's practice squad after signing with the team in the offseason. He was not listed as an emergency third quarterback for the Week 2 game.

Dart was injured on a passing play at the end of the Giants' first offensive drive.

Note: The following video may be sensitive for some viewers.

Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning and his brother, Peyton, reacted to Dart's injury on New York's first offensive drive.

"Oh no. Oh no no no no no. That is not what we want to see." Peyton said. "Gosh!"

"Tough to watch," Eli said. "Hate to see that. Hopefully he's OK."

There have been many injuries to quarterbacks across the NFL through the first two weeks of the 2026 season. Here's a list of all of the injured starters so far:

In addition, Cincinnati Bengals' QB1 Joe Burrow was dealing with a back issue after Week 1 but ultimately played, and Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) both missed the first two weeks.

ESPN announcer Joe Buck reported that wide receiver/kick returner Braxton Berrios would serve as the Giants' emergency quarterback in case anything happened to Winston. Since Big Blue did not promote Haener to its active roster and designate him as the emergency third quarterback, the Giants would have to get creative with their situation behind center if Winston sustained his own injury.

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.