Giants’ Jaxson Dart, Abdul Carter Passed Over for Annual Awards

Dart and Carter were up for AP ROY honors.

New York Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart. | Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

New York Giants Quarterback Jaxson Dart and outside linebacker Abdul Carter, both of whom were up for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, respectively, are going home from the annual NFL Honors program empty-handed.

Dart, who earlier in the day learned that he was a runner-up for the annual Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year Award, which went to quarterback Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints, lost out on the AP Offensive ROY award to Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who gained 41 first-place votes and a total of 445 points.

Dart finished fourth in the voting with one first-place vote and a total of 88 points.

Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, lost the DROY award to linebacker Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns. Carter finished fifth in the voting with 72 total points and no first-place votes.

Both players had worthy credentials. Dart finished his first NFL season with 24 total touchdowns, the most by any NFL rookie in 2025. His scoring total also included a franchise-record nine rushing scores. 

His 24 touchdowns also put him in third place in the Giants franchise record book behind Charlie Conerly (27 in 1948) and Daniel Jones (26 in 2019) for the most total touchdowns in Giants history by a rookie quarterback.

Dart, who made his NFL debut as a starting quarterback in Week 4 of the 2025 season, also became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games.

Dart, the No. 25 selection in the draft for whom the Giants traded up to get, also led all rookie quarterbacks in rushing yards (487), rushing touchdowns (nine), and passer rating (91.7). 

Carter led all rookies with 23 quarterback hits, while his four sacks were tied for fourth. Carter particularly came on strong during the last quarter of the 2025 season after the Giants changed defensive coordinators, moving from Shane Bowen to Charlie Bullen. 

Dart and Carter were looking to become the fifth pair of teammates to win AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year at the same time.  

The Giants have had three players named as AP Rookie of the Year since the award’s inception. Linebacker Lawrence Taylor won the defensive ROY honors in 1981, and receiver Odell Beckham Jr and running back Saquon Barkley won the offensive ROY honors in 2014 and 2018, respectively.

Other Notable NFL Honors Results

Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns, who finished second in the league in sacks with 16.5, did not land in the top five for Defensive Player of the Year honors.

The award, rightfully so, went to Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns, who was the unanimous choice of the voters.

Garrett, who had 23 sacks in 2025 and who also broke the single-season sack record previously shared by former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, joins former Texans defensive end J.J. Watt as the only other unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year honors, Watt having done so back in 2014.

Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Giants inside linebacker Bobby Okereke was one of the 32 nominees and the team's award winner.

2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class Announced

The 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class will consist of quarterback Drew Brees (Chargers/Saints), receiver Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), linebacker Luke Kuechly (Panthers), kicker Adam Vinatieri (Patriots, Colts), and running back Roger Craig (49ers, Raiders, Vikings).

Brees and Fitzgerald were first-timers on the modern-era ballot.

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