All eyes are on Jaxson Dart entering his sophomore NFL campaign, specifically whether he can avoid taking hits to the head. The New York Giants' electrifying quarterback was alarmingly checked for a concussion on five different occasions as a rookie.
Dart's tendency to put himself in harm's way was only exacerbated by Giants ex-head coach Brian Daboll trying to stave off the hot seat. Frankly, it was a perfect storm, though that shouldn't be an issue with John Harbaugh in charge now — and Matt Nagy by his side.
Together, Harbaugh and Nagy could quickly flip the script in the Big Apple. They can unlock Dart and New York's offense in more ways than one, as Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report outlined.
Knox likened Dart and his squad's potential trajectory in 2026 to the transformation the Drake Maye-led New England Patriots just underwent. That's not to say the G-Men will go from 4-13 to 14-3 and a conference championship victory in 12ish months, though the similarities are there.
"Ideally, new head coach John Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will help protect Dart from himself while developing him into a more consistent signal-caller," Knox wrote. "If they can, he may take the sort of Year 2 leap that Drake Maye experienced a year ago, leading New York to a top-10 offense."
Jaxson Dart's path to Drake Maye-like rise might not be so far-fetched
The Dart-Maye comparisons aren't exactly new. Like New York's young gunslinger, the Patriots star was evaluated for a concussion in multiple contests in his first season. They're both incredibly athletic and confident in their abilities, albeit to a fault at times.
Evidently, all it took for Maye to realize he's too valuable to take unnecessary hits was having adults in the room. New England's firing of Jerod Mayo after one disastrous season and pivot to reigning and two-time Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel changed everything.
Vrabel's expertise lies on the defensive side of the ball. So, he brought in an OC with a proven track record to be the voice in Maye's ears: Josh McDaniels. Sound familiar, Big Blue Nation?
Fast forward to this offseason, and Harbaugh replicated the formula that worked beautifully in Foxborough by hiring Nagy. It's a nice checks-and-balances system in which they can each focus on their strong suits and amplify Dart with complementary football.
Harbaugh is a Super Bowl-winning sideline general with an outstanding résumé that includes a dozen playoff berths and six division titles across 18 seasons (and counting). Expect New York to look like a much more professional operation with a leader of his pedigree at the helm. He's assembled an experienced staff around Dart, namely Nagy.
Maye blossomed into an MVP runner-up in 2025, yet the Pats didn't put too much on his plate. In fact, they took pressure off him with a high-powered rushing attack and a stout defense that allowed the fourth-fewest points per game (18.8).
New York is built to lean into a similar approach. Bruising running back Cam Skattebo and a mauling offensive line to boot align nicely with Harbaugh's ground-and-pound mentality. The club's ferocious front seven is littered with disruptive playmakers and accompanied by a talented young secondary.
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