Jaxson Dart’s exit due to a concussion during the Bears game had fans looking up to Russell Wilson. But after a shocking replacement performance by the veteran, interim coach Mike Kafka plans to go another way against the Green Bay Packers. Kafka recently revealed who ordered the Wilson benching, a move shaping the Giants’ short-term future.

“The decision was mine to start Jameis Winston at quarterback. No mandate from above or anyone giving him unwanted input,” Kafka said, as per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.

While the decision itself was Kafka’s, it would seem that Wilson’s three of seven passes and getting sacked twice against the Bears played a part in it.

In the offseason, Jameis Winston signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the New York Giants. He began the 2025 season as the third-string quarterback behind Russell Wilson and rookie Jaxson Dart. Wilson started in Week 1, and Dart took over in Week 4. Now, Winston has moved ahead of Wilson on the depth chart and is set to make his first start of the season.

Winston will appear for the first time since the Cleveland Browns’ Week 15 match last year. In 2024, 12 games with Cleveland, he passed for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. A strong start on Winston’s part could help the Giants in the league and end their four-game losing streak.

“I have a ton of respect for Russ, he’s going to be the backup this week. He’s one play away, just like he was last week, and so we need him, and he’s a crucial part of our offense,” Mike Kafka said about Russell Wilson.

The Giants led 17–10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter when Russell Wilson, against the Bears, who hadn’t played since Week 6, replaced Dart. Wilson could not replicate Dart’s performance and failed to produce plays. Yet, Kafka believes Winston will still need Wilson as the backup and is crucial for the Giants after Dart’s injury.

Rookie Jaxson Dart exits Bears game, Daboll fired

During the 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears, Jaxson Dart absorbed a hit from C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the third quarter. This resulted in a fumble. Before exiting, Dart had played the final snaps of the third quarter until he was not cleared to return once again.

“With Dart, as he was going back out on the field, it just didn’t seem right. We called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at.’ Went in and got looked at and ended up being evaluated for a concussion,” ex-coach Brian Daboll said after the game.

Jaxson Dart watched from the sidelines as the game slipped away in the fourth quarter. Before exiting, the rookie completed 19 of 29 passes for 242 yards. He scored two touchdowns and had 66 rushing yards.

The morning after their loss to the Bears, the Giants acted swiftly, parting ways with Brian Daboll and naming Mike Kafka as interim head coach. This marked the second NFL head‑coaching change of the 2025 season. The first came when the Tennessee Titans dismissed Brian Callahan following a 1‑5 start.

Dart set an NFL record with a touchdown run in five straight games. The streak broke Cam Newton’s 2011 record. The rookie QB plays with grit and a fierce competitive edge. He has strong support in the locker room and guidance from two veterans. Once he clears the protocol, he could be breaking records on the field in no time at all. For now, though, Winston prepares for his first start of 2025 against the Packers.