Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart dropped a quote that completely changed how he should be viewed as an NFL quarterback

I'll be really honest -- I wasn't big on Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

In fact, I was adamant that he's not going to be a good NFL quarterback. And I based that mostly on the fact that I didn't think he played well in clutch moments in the Rebels' losses to Kentucky and Florida last season. 

I'm not a big analytics or models guy (those things certainly have their place, and I'm definitely not saying my approach is the right one), I tend to prefer watching how guys compete in key moments. Fair or not, it's something I put a lot of stock in. And I probably let that approach cloud my view of Dart, instead of challenging my initial impression the way I usually try to do with most players.

Dart, however, dropped a quote this week during an interview with Sports Illustrated that immediately stood out to me. It felt like a lightbulb went off for me when I heard it. It turns out Dart has the exact trait that I believe is critical to any quarterback's success in the NFL -- the one I think it's impossible to succeed without.

Essentially, Dart is selfless and cares only about doing what the team needs in order to get a win. It's not about himself, or his own accolades or reputation, it's about getting a win for the team. 

"Our sole focus as a quarterback room is to win games," said Dart when asked about sharing a quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. "That's what we come to work every single day to do. We want to win. So, we all have the same focus. We have the same intent of what we're doing and how we're trying to handle it and make the team better. So obviously, you're competing. But you know, those guys, they've been in my shoes. They were rookies once, too. So they understand the growing pains."