Giants bench Russell Wilson, start Jaxson Dart in Week 4 after 0-3 start
Rookie Jaxson Dart named starter as New York pivots after a winless opening
The New York Giants benched quarterback Russell Wilson on Tuesday and named rookie Jaxson Dart the starter for Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, four days after an 0-3 start that included a 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. Wilson was at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York visiting patients when the news broke, a moment captured on social media.
Dart, the Giants' first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, will make his first NFL start at MetLife Stadium. He saw some snaps against Kansas City but has not yet thrown a pass in his rookie season. The shift to Dart came after Wilson threw two interceptions and failed to generate much offense in the Chiefs game, which spurred the home crowd to muster chants for the rookie.
Wilson joined the Giants on a one-year deal in March after a season with the Steelers, where he started 11 games, threw for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, and completed 63.7 percent of his passes while guiding Pittsburgh to the playoffs. Wilson won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.
Dart's selection by New York adds youth to a team hoping to stabilize an offense that has struggled to score through three games. The Giants also signed kicker Younghoe Koo to the practice squad after he was released by the Falcons.
Ciara, Wilson's wife, posted on Instagram a message of support for her husband, and Wilson reposted it on his own account, while the couple's family life has been a steady public focus as Wilson's benching became official. The Giants will host the Chargers in a 1 p.m. kickoff Sunday at MetLife Stadium, with New York seeking its first win and Los Angeles aiming to stay undefeated.