• Faith: Latter-day Saint
• Career: Athlete
• Birthday:  May 13, 2003

New York Giants quarterback Jaxon Chase Dart had an outstanding rookie season in 2025. Selected in the first round of the National Football League (NFL) draft, the young quarterback is a dual threat. In his first season as a pro, he passed for 2,272 yards and had a completion rate of 63.7 percent. He also ran for 487 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Dart threw 15 touchdowns and had 5 interceptions, as well.

His rushing yards were the third highest among quarterbacks in the league, and his 9 rushing touchdowns were the second highest. He is already being compared to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who was named the NFL's most valuable player in 2025 after leading all NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards and touchdowns this season.

The 6'2", 223-pound Dart began his rookie season as Russell Wilson's backup, but he became the starter after the Giants had a dismal 0-3 start. Dart led the team to a victory over the then-undefeated Los Angeles Chargers on September 23, 2025, throwing 13 of 20 passes for 111 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown. He also ran 54 yards, including 15 yards for a touchdown.

Dart also became one of only two NFL quarterbacks since 1991 to lead his team to a touchdown on the opening drive of his first three career starts. The other quarterback is superstar Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.

When Dart and the Giants faced the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a regular-season game on October 9, 2025, the rookie completed 17 of 25 passes and rushed for 58 yards. The Giants went on to upset the Eagles 34-17. And he demonstrated his running ability in a game against the Chicago Bears, when he ran for two touchdowns and became the first quarterback in NFL history to score a running touchdown in five consecutive games. However,

Dart suffered a concussion in the third quarter and later left the game, which ended in a 24-20 Bears' victory.

Dart is known for being a high-contact player in a sport that is already high-contact. Consequently, the Giants told him to tone it down, as he has undergone four concussion tests dating back to the 2025 preseason.

Although he is a Utah native and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dart chose not to attend the church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo. Instead, he played his first year of college football at the University of Southern California and then transferred to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he played from 2022 to 2024. He started 38 games at Ole Miss and led the team to two consecutive 10-win seasons. He also overtook former Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning's passing record of 10,119 yards and set a record of 10,617 career yards. Like Dart, Manning became the New York Giants' quarterback after college.

Jaxon Dart's Religious Beliefs

The oldest of four children, Jaxon Dart is part of a tight-knit Latter-day Saints family and chose to watch the 2025 NFL draft at home with them rather than attend the event in person. "They only give you 10 tickets at the draft. I want to be with my family. I have a big family," he explained.

Dart continues to practice his faith as an adult, and like his predecessor at quarterback, Russell Wilson, he is active in his team's regular Bible studies. Yet, Dart has been criticized for skipping his church's traditional mission, which 18-25-year-old Latter-day Saints usually undertake immediately after high school. Male church members typically serve for two years, and females serve for 18 months beginning at age 19.

Missionaries are expected to follow strict rules and focus solely on sharing the gospel, studying scripture and serving others during this time. They begin their days by studying and praying, then spend 8-9 hours evangelizing. They aren't allowed to date or travel with a member of the opposite sex unless there is a chaperone. They also limit their exposure to various forms of entertainment and have minimal contact with family.

Dart decided to focus on football rather than mission work. He explained his decision in a message posted in 2021 on X that said, "I grew up always wanting and preparing to serve a mission. Recently, I have had to make a hard decision, and I am choosing to play ball and not serve a mission. That choice was not taken lightly and included my parents and my Father in Heaven. FIGHT ON."

He added, "I have no doubt I can live the life and have the blessing I hope for, with this decision."