Week 2 of the 2026 season was chock-full of injuries to starting quarterbacks, and New York Giants starter Jaxson Dart was unable to escape unscathed in the final game of the week.
On New York's first drive of "Monday Night Football," Dart took a hit from two Los Angeles Rams defenders and sustained a knee injury. He missed the rest of the game, and his status for Week 3 (and beyond) is unclear.
The Giants had reason for optimism with their young starter in the short term. Dart was able to walk off of the field and to the locker room under his own power immediately after the injury. X-rays on his knee were negative, and the quarterback reportedly even wanted to return to the game before he was told "no."
Here's what we know about Dart's injury
so far as the NFL calendar turns to Week 3:
How long is Jaxson Dart out?
NFL Media and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport's report from Monday, Sept. 21 only indicated that Dart "is expected to miss some time." The NFL Media and ESPN insider's report of a possible MCL sprain could give a possible timeline for Dart's return.
Dart is expected to undergo an MRI on Tuesday that will reveal the extent of the damage to the passer's knee.
According to Stanford Medicine, a mild or grade 1 MCL injuries "usually get better in 1 to 3 weeks." Moderate or grade 2 MCL injuries take "about a month" to heal, while severe or grade 3 MCL injuries "may require wearing a hinged brace for a few months, and limiting weight on the leg for 4 to 6 weeks."
What happened to Jaxson Dart?
Dart went down with a leg injury on the Giants' first drive of the night against the Rams. The second-year quarterback took a hit from a couple of Rams defenders after he threw on New York's seventh play from scrimmage, and he stayed down on the ground, grabbing at his leg after the play was over.
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After receiving medical attention on the field, Dart was able to walk off the field under his own power. The quarterback went to the Giants' sideline blue medical tent for further evaluation, then walked out of the tent and back to the locker room. He was eventually ruled out of the game with a knee injury.
Jaxson Dart injury updates
Rapoport reported after the game that Dart "is believed to have suffered a sprained MCL based on the initial exams." X-rays on his knee were negative, and the Giants' quarterback will receive an MRI on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Rapoport wrote that Dart "is expected to miss some time, though in general, positive news."
New York general manager Joe Schoen told ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, "He's going to be OK."
The second-year quarterback took a hit from two Rams defenders after making a throw at the end of the Giants' first drive. Dart appeared to take a blow to his left knee in the hit, and he remained down on the field, grabbing his leg after the play.
New York's starting quarterback eventually walked off the field under his own power. After a brief medical evaluation in the Giants' sideline medical tent, he walked back to his team's locker room with a slight limp and without any help from trainers.
ESPN cameras later showed Dart getting onto a cart outside of the Giants' locker room. He eventually was ruled out of the game and showed up back on New York's sideline in street clothes.
ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan reported that Dart tried to return to the game in the first half, but the Giants did not allow him to come back into the Week 2 matchup.
Who is Jaxson Dart's backup?
Jameis Winston is the Giants' backup quarterback. The 32-year-old veteran journeyman is in his second season with Big Blue after signing a two-year, $8 million deal before the 2025 season.
Winston appeared in three games and started two of them for the Giants last season when Dart missed time with a concussion. In those three outings, Winston went 0-2 as a starter, throwing for 567 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on a 56.1% completion rate. He also caught a 33-yard touchdown pass on a trick play.
During his first appearance in 2026, filling in after Dart's injury, Winston went 11-for-27 on pass attempts for 111 yards, zero touchdowns and a bad interception. He also took a couple of sacks.
Giants QB depth chart
- Jaxson Dart (out of Week 2 – knee)
- Jameis Winston
New York only had two quarterbacks on its active roster in Week 2 of the 2026 season. Dart was ruled out of the "Monday Night Football" clash with the Rams after he injured his knee on the Giants' first offensive drive of the game.
Winston led New York's offense the rest of the way after Dart's injury. The veteran journeyman is in his second season as the Giants' backup quarterback.
There is no one behind Winston on the Giants' depth chart and active roster. Jake Haener, the former Saints' fourth-round pick in 2023, is on New York's practice squad after signing with the team in the offseason. He was not listed as an emergency third quarterback for the Week 2 game. Without Haener, wide receiver/kick returner Braxton Berrios would have been the emergency quarterback in Week 2 if necessary.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How long Giants' Jaxson Dart may be out for after Week 2 knee injury
