
Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants did not have the 2025 NFL season they were hoping for, finishing with a 4-13 record and missing the playoffs for a fourth-straight season. To make matters worse, depending on how you look at it, the Giants won their final two games of 2025, missing out on the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, falling to No. 5.
Still, Dart impressed during his rookie season in New York. After spending the first three games of 2025 backing up Russell Wilson, the former Ole Miss quarterback was named the starter in Week 4 and impressed. In 14 games, Dart completed 216-of-339 passes for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns (leading all rookies) and five interceptions, adding another 487 yards and nine scores on the ground.
With his solid play this season, Dart has been named one of the six nominees for the 2025 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year award, which is a fan-voted award that goes to the best overall player from the 2025 draft class. Dart is just one of two quarterbacks nominated for the award, joining New Orleans Saints second-round pick Tyler Shough.
Along with Dart and Shough, the other four nominees for the prestigious award include New England Patriots second-round running back TreVeyon Henderson, Las Vegas Raiders first-round running back Ashton Jeanty, Carolina Panthers first-round running back Tetairoa McMillan and Cleveland Browns second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
Notably, the Giants have produced two winners of this Rookie of the Year award since it was introduced in 2002. Two-time Super Bowl champion tight end Jeremy Shockey captured the inaugural honor, while current Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley won the award in 2018. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels claimed the honor last season.
"Jaxson Dart has been nominated for @Pepsi Rookie of the YEAR ‼️," the Giants wrote on X.
Jaxson Dart has been nominated for @Pepsi Rookie of the YEAR ‼️
— New York Giants (@Giants) January 13, 2026
Vote ️: https://t.co/i3SxIlWiLD pic.twitter.com/Fj3vENtaLN
The Giants have plenty to build around moving forward, including young standouts such as Dart, running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers. For now, however, the focus shifts to finding a permanent head coach after Mike Kafka served as the interim following Brian Daboll’s firing.
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