Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart urged to modify running approach

In the same week that the New York Giants made some major changes, they also advised Jaxson Dart to seriously consider making a few.

People inside and outside the Giants organization spoke with Dart, who remains in the concussion protocol, and urged the rookie quarterback to be more thoughtful and cautious about when and how he runs.

Dart is out for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers due to the concussion he suffered last week against the Chicago Bears. He was spotted at practice last week doing stretching exercises, as he tried to meet protocol in time for next Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

But every time Dart returns, those around him think he will have to change the way he runs.

Dart not only has a tendency to run, but also to be aggressive in trying to gain additional ground – often to the detriment of his own well-being. That’s how he suffered a concussion last week after fumbling during a third quarter in the Giants’ 24-20 loss to the Bears.

It was the fourth time this season, including the preseason, that Dart was evaluated for a concussion.

Dart has been told repeatedly, especially last week, that missing games hurts his team more than not gaining extra yards and that he can’t help his team if he’s not in the game.

Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney showed Dart videos of several quarterbacks and emphasized the difference between being aggressive and acting out of self-preservation.

The Giants went through that with quarterback Daniel Jones, now with the Indianapolis Colts, trying to teach him when to be aggressive and when to be smart, and now they’re offering the same types of lessons to Dart.

That’s why so many people in the NFL admire and applaud the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Dart, but also openly question whether his style of play is sustainable. Various people have pointed out this season that if Dart doesn’t make the type of changes others around him are advocating for — and the Giants are showing him videos — he will continue to put himself and the future of the franchise at risk.

Dart appeared in nine games (seven starts) this season, completing 62.7% of his passes for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. The former Ole Miss star has become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, throwing for 317 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

He is the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to run for a touchdown in five consecutive games, and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied for the third-most in league history for a rookie quarterback since 1950, behind Cam Newton in 2011 (14) and Josh Allen in 2018 (8).

When Dart returns to the field, he will play under Mike Kafka, who the Giants named interim head coach Monday after firing Brian Daboll.

The Giants (2-8) won just two of their first 10 games for the third straight year and were 11-33 under Daboll since the start of the 2023 season.

Kafka, who had served as the Giants’ assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, said he would continue to call plays and announced that Jameis Winston had passed Russell Wilson on the depth chart and would be New York’s starting quarterback until Dart cleared protocol and returned.

Daboll went 20-40-1 as head coach of the Giants with a .336 winning percentage, putting him behind Ben McAdoo and Ray Perkins.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan and ESPN Research contributed to this report.