You know what they say about payback — it’s a b... great motivator. And for football players, there’s nothing quite like getting the opportunity to prove to another team that they should regret either passing on them in the draft, not re-signing them, trading them away, etc. And New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has some unfinished business with the black and gold.
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Back in April, the Giants and Saints both held top-10 picks in the 2025 Draft. Both teams needed a quarterback, and with Cam Ward off the board, the pickings were Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, and Tyler Shough. The G-Men took edge rusher Abdul Carter third, and the Saints selected offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. ninth.
Dart had to wait until Big Blue traded back into the first round with the Houston Texans to hear his name called at 25 — something that’s fueled him to this day. At the time of the draft, the 22-year-old thought NOLA was his final destination… until it wasn’t. And if you ask him if there’s any bad blood or extra motivation to perform well on Sunday, he gave a pretty clear answer.
Jaxson Dart needs more dips for the New Orleans-sized chip on his shoulder
When speaking with the media on Wednesday, the former Ole Miss standout was asked if he had a chip on his shoulder this week after the Saints passed on him in the draft, to which he replied with a refreshingly honest take:
"I think that there's always a chip on your shoulder anytime that something like that happens."Jaxson Dart on being passed on by Saints
Let 'em hear it.
The 22-year-old also went on to talk about his pre-draft meeting with New Orleans and how he believed he did enough to convince the brass to make him a top-10 pick. As it turns out, he didn’t. And that’s great news for the Giants and their fans.
In his first start, Dart led the G-Men to a stunning 21-18 Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, delivering the first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Saints are still winless, with one of the most confusing and uninspiring quarterback rooms in the league. That’s too bad, because they could’ve had what the G-Men have. You hate to see it.
However the rookie wants to draw extra motivation, go for it. Because at the end of the day, if it’s helping bring wins back to East Rutherford, who cares how he gets there? The chip is real. And the team that passed on him might’ve just gift-wrapped the Giants their next franchise quarterback.
Let's hope he builds on his impressive debut by crushing the team that snubbed him in April.