See it: Giants' Jaxson Dart shared wholesome moment with Mother after NFL debut

Rookie QB Jaxson Dart Delivers 'Mid' Debut, Finds Solace in Mom's Embrace

Dart shined in his first NFL preseason game, completing 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. But despite a solid performance, the young quarterback called it "mid" and believes he could have done more.

A Coach's Confidence
Head coach Brian Daboll praised Dart after the game, calling him "efficient, effective, aggressive, confident in the pocket."

"He's a confident young player," Daboll continued. "He's improved since he's been here. Still have a long way to go, but I enjoy working with him."

Third Down Blues and 'Crunch-Time' Situations
While Dart displayed promise, he expressed frustration over missed third downs and the inability to capitalize in crucial moments.

"I just felt like the only reason that we stopped ourselves from scoring touchdowns were just some of those third downs and not converting," he said. "And I feel like personally, I'm really hard on myself. So, in those moments, like I want to capitalize on that. Those possessions in those crunch-time situations really determine the game."

A Heartfelt Postgame Moment

After the game, Dart shared an emotional embrace with his mother, Kara Dart, captured in a video that quickly went viral. The heartwarming moment comes after fans were captivated by Kara's joy during the 2025 NFL draft when the Giants selected Jaxson No. 25 overall.

Dart was also joined by fellow quarterback Tommy DeVito and shared pictures with his family.

Family Man, Lucky Necklace

Known for his close-knit family, Dart once stole a heart necklace from his sister, attributing it to good luck.

"So, my little sister had it, it was hers," he explained in May. "It was before our bowl game and as I was leaving the house over Christmas -- a little break before the bowl game -- and just saw it in her room. And I was like, you know what, I kind of like it."

Dart wasn't wearing the necklace during his postgame press conference but plans to return it to his routine. "Shoot, I forgot to wear it. But I'm going to put that back in the routine for sure," he said.