Sun Sep 14 17:40:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Rex Ryan Calls for Quarterback Change After Giants’ Dismal Week 1 Performance**
**New York, NY – September 9, 2025** – Just one game into the NFL season, former New York Jets coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan is calling for the Giants to bench veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in favor of rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart. The demand comes after a lackluster performance by Wilson in the Giants’ 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders. Wilson completed 17 of 37 passes for 168 yards, took two sacks, and fumbled in the red zone.
“You’ve got to put [Dart] in because Russell Wilson can’t play anymore,” Ryan declared on ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday morning. “What are you afraid of? Is it gonna be worse? Hell no. Put him out there, let him go, let him ride, and let’s see.”
Ryan further argued that Dart “outplayed Russell Wilson head and shoulders in the preseason.”
Fellow ESPN analyst and Super Bowl champion Damien Woody echoed Ryan’s sentiment, stating, “I’ve seen enough. One week was enough for me…If you lose [Malik Nabers], the one legitimate talent that you have on the offensive side of the ball, you lose him, you have major problems.”
Despite the calls for change, Giants head coach Brian Daboll has publicly stated his commitment to Wilson as the starting quarterback. “Russ will be the starter,” Daboll told reporters Monday. “That game just doesn’t fall on Russell Wilson. We have to do a better job collectively.”
The Giants signed Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million contract this offseason, prior to drafting Dart with the 25th overall pick. While Wilson boasts a Super Bowl ring and ten Pro Bowl selections, his performance has declined since departing the Seattle Seahawks for Denver in 2022.
At 36 years old, Wilson faces mounting pressure to improve, especially with the Giants’ coaching staff potentially on the hot seat. While there’s still time for Wilson to turn things around, the clock is ticking for the veteran quarterback in the Big Apple.
First Piper 