New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart's breakout second season lasted exactly one and a half games. The 25th overall pick in the 2025 draft went under the knife Friday to repair torn ligaments in his left knee, a procedure that head coach John Harbaugh confirmed will keep the 23-year-old sidelined for the rest of the 2026 regular season, just days after he authored one of the most statistically absurd openers in NFL history.

Dart tore up the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, completing 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns without an interception while adding 50-plus rushing yards — a stat line no quarterback had ever produced in a season opener. Seven days later, on the Giants' first offensive snap of a Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams, he was sandwiched between linebackers Josaiah Stewart and Byron Young on a scramble attempt and never returned, exiting after just five pass attempts in a 28-6 loss.

MCL, meniscus and a "can't pinpoint it" recovery

The Giants placed Dart on injured reserve Thursday, and imaging showed damage to his MCL and meniscus, with additional harm to his PCL also reported by multiple outlets; his ACL was said to remain intact. He had surgery Friday to repair the meniscus and MCL, according to the league's own injury roundup. Harbaugh would not fully close the door on a postseason return if New York, now 1-1, manages to qualify.

"OTHER THAN THAT, HOW DO YOU KNOW? IT DEPENDS ON THE RECOVERY. YOU CAN'T PINPOINT IT."

The injury is a brutal follow-up to a rookie season in which Dart took over as the starter in Week 4 of 2025 and finished with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine rushing scores — a franchise record for a quarterback — leading all first-year passers in total touchdowns, per Yahoo Sports' reporting on his surgery. Giants fans had circled 2026 as his true breakout year after an offseason in which he said he had a "chip on his shoulder" and wanted to "do something special."

Jameis Winston, who signed a two-year, $13 million extension just before Week 1, now inherits the job full-time. He was 11-of-27 for 111 yards with an interception in relief against the Rams, and NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk reported the team will also look to add quarterback depth this week, with practice-squad arm Jake Haener a candidate for a roster promotion. New York hosts the winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday as it tries to keep its season from unraveling without the young passer who was supposed to carry it.

What's next: Winston starts against Tennessee this weekend, and the Giants are expected to monitor Dart's recovery through the season with an eye on a potential playoff activation — a long shot for a team that will need to climb well back above .500 first.