Defiant Giants QB Jaxson Dart Continues to Defend Aggressive Play Style

If anyone thought that New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart might play it a bit more on the cautious side following his return to the game from a two-week absence resulting from a concussion, that was not going to be the case.

Dart, who finished 17-of-24 for 139 yards and a touchdown, also ran the ball four times in the Giants’ 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.

And while for the most part he made an effort to get down to avoid taking a hit, there was one play in particular int eh first half where as a runner he was trying to get the first down only to take a walloping along the Patriots sideline, the hit resulting in some pushing and shoving and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against tight end Theo Johnson.

Dart, who has been defiant about wanting to play the game on his terms, defended his decision to try to get the extra yardage necessary for the first down rather than to live to see another play at that particular juncture.

“I understand the question, but this is football. Like, I'm going to get hit if I'm in the pocket or outside the pocket,” he said when asked about protecting himself.

“I feel like I played this way my whole life. It shouldn't be any shocker to anyone who followed my career. We're not playing soccer out here. You're going to get hit. Things happen. It's just part of the game.”

Dart is hardwired to be aggressive, which is part of his competitiveness. While he’s also intelligent enough to understand that he has to be smart, he is who he is, and that’s a guy who is going to be fearless when it comes to how he plays the game.

“I played like this my whole life,” he said. “Turn on my high school tape, turn on my college tape, it's not a shocker to anybody. It's how I've played. I felt like I just watched the game. I did slide. I did avoid a lot of hits, so you're going to get hit. It's football.”

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Harold Landry III (2) sacks New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Dart shook his head when asked about the differences between high school, college, and NFL competition, and whether that was a factor in his approach to the game.

“My body feels good,” he insisted. “Just like any other league, you take new steps; there are bigger, faster players.

“I'm going to play aggressively. I feel like if I just turn into a complete pocket passer, that's just not how I want to play the game. I feel like there's an advantage to me using my legs.”

Dart said he’s appreciative of his teammates who have urged him to be more careful when running with the ball, but he’s not about to change his ways, given what he feels to be at stake.

“I'm going to keep playing aggressively. Hopefully, everybody can take a second to watch my tape from high school and realize that this is not a shock. I play the game aggressively,” he said.

“I took one hit that people are talking about. I slid. Got out of the way of a lot of hits. I appreciate people wanting me to be healthy and all that stuff, and I want to be healthy too. I play this game aggressively. I'm not just going to change how I play the game.”

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