Gaining the confidence of a franchise legend is a sign that you're doing something right. So, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart must be feeling great about his trajectory after former running back turned media personality Tiki Barber's recent comments.
There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the new-look Giants, and the range of outcomes is wide. Like many, though, Barber appears to be all in on Dart. The former believes the latter is poised to show meaningful growth in 2026 despite the question marks about the offense and the team in general.
During one of the latest episodes of WFAN's Evan & Tiki, Barber signed off on Dart building off what was a promising and electrifying rookie showing.
"I have no doubt that [Dart's] going to take a step forward," Barber said. "He just feels like [he has] that kind of 'I got it, I learned from it, I'm going to be better [mentality].'"
Giants legend Tiki Barber has 'no doubt' Jaxson Dart is ready for Year 2 leap
Everyone can see that Dart is headed for stardom, with Barber being no exception. The 2025 first-round pick has everything you want in football's most important position. Good size, natural arm talent, mobility, an unrelenting competitive drive (almost to a fault) and a combination of moxie and swagger — you name it.
Dart was fourth among QBs in rushing yards (487) and second in touchdowns on the ground (nine) last season. His 5.2 percent big-time throw rate ranked ninth out of 45 players with at least 100 dropbacks, including the playoffs. He looked the part of a dynamic dual threat and much-needed potential cornerstone for the G-Men.
The crazy part is that Dart still has significant room for improvement. His 91.7 passer rating was just above the league average (91.4), and he was right below the median completion percentage (63.7). Avoiding unnecessary hits is also a focus area, as Big Blue Nation has learned the hard way.
However, Barber anticipates the second-year signal-caller continuing to put it all together in the upcoming campaign. The Giants' all-time leading rusher (10,449 yards) has seen enough from Dart to not only be left wanting more, but to expect it.
It's worth noting that Barber expressed concern regarding the current state of the Giants' wide receiver room and how the situation could stunt Dart's development. Star Malik Nabers' murky injury status is a rightful reason for pause, yet that doesn't seem like enough to derail the optimism (for now).
For what it's worth, Barber isn't the only member of New York's Ring of Honor to speak so highly of Dart this offseason. Retired quarterback Phil Simms previously stated that the Ole Miss product has "superstar qualities and talent."
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