The New York Giants have been bringing first-round pick Jaxson Dart along slowly in training camp, making sure he gets plenty of reps without the pressure of having to win the starting job, as the team has already firmly established that Russell Wilson will open the season under center.
The Giants open the preseason against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, and while head coach Brian Daboll has been noncommittal about how much action Dart will see on Saturday, there is still plenty of excitement around his debut.
Speaking with the media after practice on Thursday, Dart spoke about the first preseason game and sounded as if he isn’t worried about his NFL debut at all.
“Football is football. It’s the same game that you were playing as a kid. There’s no light that’s too bright to play in.”
"Football is football. It's the same game that you were playing as a kid. There's no light that's too bright to play in."
Jaxson Dart before his first NFL preseason game: pic.twitter.com/adUP9Jbi3o
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) August 7, 2025
If all goes according to plan for the Giants this season, Dart won’t see the field at all, as the team is planning for Russell Wilson to lead this offense back to respectability, and if things go awry, Jameis Winston is in town to serve as his backup.
The Giants cycled through four different quarterbacks last season en route to a disastrous 3-14 season, but there is plenty of room for optimism now that there is an entirely new quarterback room in town.
Wilson had his ups and downs as the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, and he at least showed that he still has something left in the tank.
Winston also had some exciting moments during his brief tenure starting for the Cleveland Browns last year, so this offense is in good hands regardless of who is under center.
It’s no surprise that Dart isn’t phased by the bright lights of the NFL after coming from the SEC, and while fans might have to wait a while, it will be exciting to watch his growth along the way to eventually becoming this team’s starter.
NEXT: Brian Daboll Reveals Which Giants QB Will Play Against Bills In Preseason