Matt Nagy. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Giants' Matt Nagy hiring doesn't do any favors for QB Jaxson Dart

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 6:34 PM ET

The New York Giants' primary focus in 2026 should be putting quarterback Jaxson Dart in a position to soar. Does their latest hire do that?

On Tuesday, the Giants hired former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for the same role. That news may make members of the fan base squirm.

Why hiring Matt Nagy won't be a popular move among Giants fans

Nagy's coaching reputation has taken a hit after a failed stint as a Chicago Bears head coach and a disappointing second tenure with the Chiefs.

The Bears hired Nagy as HC in 2018. His first season went great. He won the 2018 Coach of the Year award after guiding Chicago to a 12-4 record and making the playoffs. The rest of his tenure with the NFC North club was much less successful.

The coach went 22-27 in his final 49 games with the team. QB Mitch Trubisky, the second pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, failed to develop into a franchise staple under Nagy, finishing with a below-average 87.2 passer rating in four seasons with the Bears.

ESPN Sources: Giants are hiring former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy as their offensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/Yxh8Z1qXmP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2026

Nagy returned to Kansas City, where he had previously served as OC in 2017, after Chicago fired him in January 2022. Things would go better with Chiefs superstar QB Patrick Mahomes, right? Not necessarily.

Yes, Mahomes won two of his three Super Bowls over the past four seasons. However, his numbers dipped after Nagy was promoted from QBs coach to OC in 2023, following Eric Bieniemy's departure. Take a look (stats provided via StatMuse).

Mahomes' stats	2018-22	2023-25
Passer rating	106	92
TD%	6.5%	4.5%
Int%	1.6%	2.1%
Completion%	66.4%	66%

Mahomes' slide doesn't entirely fall on Nagy. The Chiefs have failed to address issues with their offensive line and receiving corps during this span.

The Giants went 4-13 in 2025, but unlike the Chiefs, they do have a budding star in second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers. He suffered a season-ending ACL tear this past season, but he made the Pro Bowl in 2024 after recording 1,204 receiving yards in 15 games.

Dart carried the Nabers-less Giants offense, recording 24 touchdowns (15 passing and nine rushing) in 14 games. For his efforts, the 25th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft was named an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist.

But if Dart fizzles after the promising rookie season, many Big Blue supporters would point the finger at Nagy. He has yet to prove any QB can flourish in his system, even an elite one like Mahomes.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

This article first appeared on Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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