Giants QB Jaxson Dart Welcomes Francis Mauigoa Saying He’d ‘Die’ for Him

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart learned quickly how violent the NFL can be as a rookie last season. Dart suffered a concussion last November, and he was evaluated for a concussion five times in a 10-game span, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. He often sought out contact and addressed concerns about his safety after taking a particularly nasty hit against the New England Patriots on Dec. 1."I understand the question, but this is football," Dart said. "I'm going to get hit if I'm in the pocket or outside the pocket. I feel like I played this way my whole entire life. It shouldn't be any shocker to anybody if you followed along with my career. We're not playing soccer out here. You're going to get hit. Things happen. It's just part of the game."It remains to be seen whether Dart will protect himself better as a second-year quarterback, though Giants running back Cam Skattebo told Rich Eisen in March that it's "not an option for us." Regardless, the Giants prioritized, at the very least, that Dart gets hit less in the pocket in 2026 by selecting former Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick in the 2026