Giants' John Harbaugh talks Jaxson Dart injury, return timeline - USA Today
The New York Giants had a night to forget on Sept. 21, a night that saw the team's franchise quarterback, Jaxson Dart, exit early with a knee injury. Initial pictures weren't promising as Dart laid on the ground clutching his knee, but the mood began to shift by the end of the night.
While Jameis Winston's relief effort didn't inspire anyone about the Giants' immediate future, there was a glimmer of hope that the season wouldn't be entirely lost.
Dart emerged from the locker room in street clothes to watch the game from the sidelines. He was limping, but the 23-year-old appeared to be in good spirits. ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported that Dart tried to return to the game in the first half, but the Giants did not allow him to come back into the Week 2 matchup.
Further testing and an MRI on Sept. 22 revealed that Dart's injury was worse than expected, per multiple reports, putting his season in jeopardy. It wasn't the start to the season that head coach John Harbaugh was hoping for to begin his Giants career, but it is now reality.
The coach is set to speak about the injury to his rising star at a press conference on Sept. 22. Here's what Harbaugh had to say about Dart's injury.
Harbaugh didn't had a definitive answer Dart, saying no final decision has been made yet on the passer's availability (or lack thereof) moving forward.
"Evaluations are ongoing," Harbaugh told reporters. "We haven't got any final decisions yet, we've learned a lot more. I wouldn't want to share too much until decisions get made."
The coach noted there is more than one person involved in the decision-making process and the team will work on its own timeline.
Harbaugh didn't have a comment when asked about Dart's mood after the game, noting that he was just upset about the loss.
Dart's injury was worse than expected after an MRI on Tuesday, Sept. 22, according to multiple reports.
The team is now bracing for the possibility that it could be a season-ending knee injury for the Giants quarterback.
It marked a significant change after initial optimism following the team's loss on "Monday Night Football."
Rapoport reported after the game that Dart "is believed to have suffered a sprained MCL based on the initial exams." X-rays on his knee were negative, and the Giants' quarterback will receive an MRI on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Rapoport wrote that Dart "is expected to miss some time, though in general, positive news."
New York general manager Joe Schoen told ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, "He's going to be OK."
The second-year quarterback took a hit from two Rams defenders after making a throw at the end of the Giants' first drive. Dart appeared to take a blow to his left knee in the hit, and he remained down on the field, grabbing his leg after the play.
New York's starting quarterback eventually walked off the field under his own power. After a brief medical evaluation in the Giants' sideline medical tent, he walked back to his team's locker room with a slight limp and without any help from trainers.
ESPN cameras later showed Dart getting onto a cart outside of the Giants' locker room. He eventually was ruled out of the game and showed up back on New York's sideline in street clothes.
ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan reported that Dart tried to return to the game in the first half, but the Giants did not allow him to come back into the Week 2 matchup.
