beyond the back page The Giants’ Jaxson Dart challenge goes way beyond sliding By Andrew Crane Published Aug. 18, 2026, 7:40 a.m. ET Jaxson Dart talks to medical personnel in the first half of the Giants' preseason opener on Aug. 15, 2026. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post The lasting image of Saturday’s Giants game, even more than the 13-10 final score — because, of course, it’s the preseason — and more than the positional battles that will shape the final roster spots, unfolded on the final play of the first quarter.
There was Vikings safety Jay Ward, unblocked, closing in on Jaxson Dart. There was Dart, absorbing another major hit and remaining on the ground.
And, after he walked over to the sideline, there was Dart getting examined in the blue medical tent once again.
It was a sobering moment for the Giants and their potential quarterback of the future, a reminder that even if Dart erased his Achilles’ heel — not sliding — from 2025, hits like that can still cause nightmares. On that play, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. failed to chip Ward, who veered around Tracy and tore toward Dart virtually untouched. Tracy later took responsibility for the blown assignment.
