The Giants played one of their best games of the 2025 season at arguably the worst possible time, walking away with a 34-10 victory over the Raiders on Sunday that all but handed Las Vegas the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
What New York lost in draft capital in the so-called "Tank Bowl", they might have gained in morale. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart finished with 207 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns to seal Week 17's win, end his team's nine-game losing streak and bring his total to an impressive nine rushing scores on the year.
While some may be confident Dart has already won the franchise's starting quarterback job for the foreseeable future, others aren't so sure. NFL's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that the Giants are expected to look at "all options" if they get their hands on the No. 1 pick come April.
“Expect them to evaluate all options, including looking at Fernando Mendoza, before they make a decision on how they're going to proceed if they have this pick,” Rapoport said.
On Monday, Dart said he hadn't caught wind of the report but did send a clear message on how he views his future in New York:
"I'm going to continue to play my ball. I know I'm going to be here for a very long time," Dart said. "I'm just excited to start winning more games and turn this place around, do my job.
"We have a bright future. I was standing on the sideline, watching Abdul [Carter] ball, watching DA ball, Skatt was here today. When you think about this rookie class, we have a really bright future and we're going to be a really big pivot and turn this thing around."
Jaxson Dart is asked about a report that the Giants would consider all options, including a quarterback, at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft:
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) December 29, 2025
"I'm going to continue to play my ball. I know I'm going to be here for a very long time. I'm excited to start winning more games and turn… pic.twitter.com/9TGziIGvoG
Giants interim coach Mike Kafka also offered his honest endorsement of Dart as the QB's rookie season comes to a close, saying he had "no doubts" that the Ole Miss product was a bona fide franchise quarterback.
Dart, the No. 25 pick in the 2025 draft, has gone 3-8 across 11 starts in his debut season, memorably taking the starting job by the horns after veteran Russell Wilson's uninspired start to the year. The 22-year-old has racked up 2,042 passing yards with 13 touchdowns against five interceptions, not counting his highlight reel of rushing scores.
It's hard to say for certain whether Dart can find sustained success with the Giants in the coming years, but with offensive talents like Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, New York's future may be the brightest it's been in recent history—regardless of what the organization chooses to do in the 2026 draft.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jaxson Dart Candidly Addresses Report That Giants Could Draft a QB in 2026.
