Giants' Daboll: Switch to Dart was 'my decision'

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants coach Brian Daboll didn't provide much insight into why he benched quarterback Russell Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart, aside from that it was his decision.

The Giants informed Wilson and Dart of the decision on Tuesday. Dart will start Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers and Wilson will be the backup.

"The conversations that I've had with these young men will be private. The details will be private," Daboll said. "All I can tell you is we're going with Jaxson and we're getting ready to play, so I'm not going to add too much to it. Those are private conversations.

"It's my decision and we're going with Jaxson."

Daboll said that the change is for the rest of the season and that Wilson will serve as Dart's backup. He said Wilson was a "pro" about losing his starting position.

It was reported before the draft that Dart was Daboll's quarterback of choice when they were selecting in the first round. The Ole Miss product won the Giants coach over with the way he handled the pre-draft process.

Dart was made the backup quarterback ahead of veteran Jameis Winston before Week 1, a move that a source said was pushed for by Daboll. The coach is now the driving force behind going with the rookie after just three weeks as well.

"Yeah, it's my decision. Again, we have conversations, we've said this numerous times, I have plenty of conversations. That's the direction that I wanted to go and that's the direction that we're going to go," Daboll said. "There's good conversation we had. Those are private conversations, like I said before, but ultimately it comes down to me and the decision that I made."

This now puts the spotlight even further on Daboll coming off a 3-14 campaign last year. Owner John Mara said after the season that there would have to be better results if this regime was going to make it to a fifth year.

The Giants (0-3) are currently looking for their first win of the season Sunday at home against the undefeated Chargers. They're looking at Dart to spark an offense that failed to produce 300 total yards in two of three games. They lost 22-9 on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"We've had three games, haven't put it together all collectively and made the decision to play Jaxson," Daboll said.

The concentration now turns to preparation for the Chargers, which occurred for the Giants without star wide receiver Malik Nabers who was sidelined by injury. Dart was first up at practice among the quarterbacks Wednesday. Daboll stood directly behind him almost the entire the workout was open to the media. Usually, he moves around checking on different areas of the team.

But Daboll and the Giants are clearly heavily invested in Dart's success. All eyeballs are on the 25th overall pick in this year's draft.

"I expect him to prepare. We expect him to go out here and get better each time he plays," Daboll said. "It's not always going to be perfect, but I do think that he has the right makeup and athleticism and look, we're going to do everything we can do to help him be the best player. I know he is as well. It's not just on one person, it's on the entire team, and that's what we're going to do."

The Chargers are hardly a soft landing. They have a top 10 defense through three weeks this season.

Dart had a strong summer and preseason, but this will be a level he's never faced.

"I don't think any rookie quarterback is ever just ready to play," Daboll said. "You put him in there because you think that he's done enough to show you that he can go out there and compete and he's done that every step of the way.

"And that's why I made the decision."