Jaxson Dart's NFL debut quickly went from exciting to disaster in less than a half, albeit to no fault of his own. The New York Giants' first-round rookie quarterback lost his star wide receiver, Malik Nabers, to what's believed to be a torn ACL. The thrilling 21-18 win over the Chargers has been clouded in a big way because of this news.
It didn't look good when Nabers went down and he was visibly hurting immediately while holding his right knee. Giants fans instantly braced for the worst-case scenario but hoped for the best. However, recent intel from the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero indeed confirmed their prayers won't be answered.
Giants WR Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL vs. Chargers. (via @RapSheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/fG8BT91gWR
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
Giants fans crushed after Malik Nabers tears ACL in Jaxson Dart's debut
Per Rapoport and Pelissero, Nabers is expected to be out for the rest of the season. This is a doomsday scenario for the Giants on multiple levels. Nabers was carted off before getting ruled out for the remainder of the contest with the Chargers shortly after.
There was no initial diagnosis, though the circumstances foreshadowed the catastrophic outcome. Nevertheless, the severity of the matter has massive long-term consequences on the state of the Giants organization.
Any ounce of hope surrounding the Giants' 2025 outlook revolves around Nabers, yet that's only the tip of the iceberg. Their competitiveness (or lack thereof) has a trickle-down effect that presumably decides general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll's futures with the franchise. Moreover, and perhaps above all, the absence of one of the league's premier pass-catchers undeniably impedes Dart's development.
Daboll and Schoen are fighting for their jobs in New York. The brain trust duo has failed to replicate its impressive 2022 campaign that snapped the club's five-year playoff drought and included a Divisional Round appearance. Meanwhile, they're running out of time to avoid getting fired, and Nabers being sidelined only further exacerbates the problem.
You couldn't hear it, but Nabers was demonstrably shouting in pain as trainers promptly tended to him. MetLife Stadium was buzzing with new-found energy and enthusiasm with Dart under center before this moment. Alas, the Football Gods can taketh as easily as they giveth, as seen by Big Blue Nation's sudden spark turning into a living nightmare.
Before exiting the game, Nabers caught two of his three targets for 20 scoreless yards. He'll finish the year with 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Still only 22, the 2024 No. 6 overall pick should hopefully return to form upon rejoining the G-Men come 2026. Whether Daboll, Schoen and Co. will be back with him is debatable, if not highly questionable.