Jaxson Dart
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The New York Giants got a great message about Jaxson Dart's new mentor.
They are counting on different voices to help Jaxson Dart develop into a star quarterback in the NFL, so the New York Giants should welcome getting the scoop on the second-year pro’s new mentor.
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan will be at the controls of Dart’s development. Callahan will also serve as pass-game coordinator, but his primary role will be as quarterbacks coach, a job he previously held when working with elite passers like two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Hall of Famer Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos.
Ran Carthon hired Callahan in Tennessee in 2024, and he believes Dart will benefit from the QB guru’s presence. As Carthon told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, “If you think Joe Burrow is a good quarterback, I think you are going to like that pairing.”
Dunleavy posed the question, “is dual-threat Jaxson Dart the kind of quarterback that Callahan — the new Giants quarterbacks coach — favors?”
Carthon’s answer is revealing after he entrusted Callahan to oversee 2025 NFL draft No. 1 pick Cam Ward’s introduction to the pros. As Carthon put it, “Jaxson Dart is definitely his kind of guy. Cally is going to allow him to have a voice. He will respect the quarterback to the point of, ‘Tell me what you like.’ Jaxson won’t be making any decisions, but if you are a quarterback, you want to feel empowered — that you are being heard.”
The Giants hiring a position coach who will let Dart assume some ownership of the offense underlined the trust a new regime fronted by head coach John Harbaugh is placing in the young signal-caller.
Brian Callahan Key to Giants’ New QB Plan
Former Baltimore Ravens chief Harbaugh has restructured the approach to football’s most important position since being hired by Big Blue. Callahan is a key figure in the new landscape and his experience with Manning suggests his influence on how Dart plays will be significant.
Carthon explained, “Brian knows what it should look like. For Peyton to trust you with any part of his process says a lot. It means you are detailed and see the game the same way he does from a mental standpoint.”
Getting Dart more attuned to the nuances of his position is the vital next step in his development. It’s how the 22-year-old matures from a daring but reckless runner, into a more consistent passer and well-rounded decision-maker.
A franchise great wants to see those things from Dart, and making it happen is why Harbaugh put quarterback expertise in key spots on his staff. The overhaul around Dart began by Harbs naming Matt Nagy as his offensive coordinator.
Nagy is another coach noted for his work with mobile quarterbacks, specifically, Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs. The offensive coaching staff has been geared to accelerate Dart’s progress, but there are some critics of Nagy’s record with quarterbacks.
Just like doubts can be raised about Callahan’s credentials.
Jaxson Dart Needs Right QBs Coach
Ward also has a dual-threat game, but Callahan wasn’t able to enjoy major success with the Titans. It didn’t help the top pick in the draft managed to throw for only 15 touchdowns in 17 games.
Those numbers don’t reflect well on Callahan. Nor does Manning enduring arguably the roughest season of his career with the 2015 Broncos when Callahan was on staff, throwing for a career-low 2,249 yards during a campaign marred by injury and lacklustre performances.
Manning won a Super Bowl with those Broncos, but he relied on one of the all-time great defenses to carry a sputtering offense. These career missteps aren’t why the Giants chose Callahan to oversee Dart.
Callahan got the job because of his work with Burrow, who led the NFL in completion percentage, earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and went to a Super Bowl, on his watch.
Burrow owed a lot of those accolades to the dynamic talent around him, including wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Yet, Burrow also had a focused teacher.
Bengals backup Brandon Allen, who also played for Callahan with the Titans, said “he’s so good at is communicating certain ways with different guys. Some guys might need a pat on the back, some guys might need you to rip them a little bit. He does a good job gauging where the player is, depending upon personality, type of player, that sort of thing. He changes the way he gets the same message across… He is all about the details. He’s not a drill sergeant, but he’s about doing the little things right that will translate into making the whole play right or making the right throw.”
Dart doesn’t have the same supporting cast as Burrow, but the return from injury of Pro Bowl pass-catcher Malik Nabers will help. It’ll help more if Callahan is as good as Carthon and Co. claim.