Russell Wilson Downplays Potential Benching After NY Giants Fall in Week 1

Calls for metropolitan succession have already risen among New York Giants fans.

Sep 7, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) makes a pass during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The New York Giants endured another season-opening no-show in their 2025 kickoff showcase, falling to the Washington Commanders by a 21-6 final in Landover on Sunday.

At the helm was quarterback Russell Wilson, who completed 17-of-37 passes for 168 yards in a defeat that saw the Giants amass just 261 yards of offense.

The lackluster performance, which, albeit often came under pressure behind a suspect offensive line, has resulted in calls for the team to bench the 10-time Pro Bowler in favor of touted first-round choice Jaxson Dart.

If Wilson is aware of such sentiments flooding social media and the internet in general, he's not concerned.

"I just focus on what we can control," Wilson said after the game. "I thought we competed our butts off. You stand tall in the midst of that game, battling through it, and trying to find a way to win."

Competition aside, the Giants came up woefully short on offense, particularly in the red zone, which Wilson acknowledged. The fact that the Giants' scoring problems persist despite supposed fixes is a major reason frustrated fans are calling for a change.

One could also contend that Wilson at least took care of the ball (no turnovers), but this is far from the primary yield that the Giants are looking for in Year 4 of the Brian Daboll era.

It doesn't help that blue viewers were offered a tantalizing taste of the Dart era during the preseason, which produced some of the most potent offensive results that modern New Yorkers are hardly used to.

Despite the gathering storm, the faith of blue brass appears to reside purely in Wilson's corner. Head coach Brian Daboll said that removing Wilson from Sunday's game was never a consideration and that the collapse was not solely the quarterback's fault.

But he also made a telling statement without being direct when asked why he elected to kick a field goal when they had the ball on the 2-yard line.

"Yeah, we had three bad plays in a row down there, and we had a long drive, and I went for it," Daboll explained. "We got the penalty and got to go again, and didn't want to come away with no points, like it happened toward the end of the game.

"But we've got to be better in the red zone. That's why I elected to go for three to get some points on the board.”

Still, the last thing the Giants need is for a repeat performance next week when the Giants make their annual visit to Arlington to face the Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

But whether Sunday's disappointing outing results in a change at the team's most important position remains to be seen, as Daboll left the door open to the possibility by refusing to offer a definitive "yes" to the question of whether Wilson will be the starter.

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