Jaxson Dart’s Shocking Return: What His Clearance from Concussion Protocol Means for the Season

It’s finally happening—Jaxson Dart is slated to take back the reins as the Giants’ starting quarterback, just in time for Monday night’s showdown with the Patriots. After sitting out the last couple of games due to a concussion he suffered against the Bears in Week 10, Dart’s return to practice last week and subsequent clearance through concussion protocol this Thursday signals a fresh breath of hope for a team desperate for direction. Now, this isn’t just about one player coming back; it’s about a franchise at a crossroads—especially after recent defensive struggles led to the firing of Shane Bowen as the defensive coordinator. Meanwhile, Jameis Winston’s starts, though promising in moments with leads in the fourth quarter, ended in heartbreaking losses to the Packers and Lions, setting the stage for Dart’s return to be a potential game-changer. It’s a pivotal moment that has me both intrigued and cautiously optimistic for what lies ahead. LEARN MORE

Jaxson Dart is set to return to the starting lineup for the Giants.

Dart missed the last two games after suffering a concussion against the Bears in Week 10, but he returned to practice last week and the team announced on Thursday that he has cleared the concussion protocol. That clears the way for him to start at quarterback against the Patriots on Monday night.

Jameis Winston started for the Giants the last two weeks and had the team in the lead in both fourth quarters before collapsing to lose to the Packers and Lions.

That contributed to the Giants’ decision to fire defensive coordinator Shane Bowen this week and they’ll hope that change along with getting Dart back move them in a better direction.