In life, there are certain truths, and when it comes to rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, there’s often an uncomfortable reality: success can be elusive.
While it’s not a strict rule, historical data indicates that many first-year players at this position experience more losses than wins.
This context was shared with Jackson Dart following Wednesday’s practice, where he was reminded of two Hall of Famers, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning, who faced significant struggles in their inaugural NFL seasons.
Should Dart be concerned about this? The first year can indeed be quite challenging.
“I don’t really think about it that way,” Dart responded. “I want to approach the game positively and lead the team toward victory. It’s tough, but honestly, it motivates me each day.”
This Sunday, as Dart and the Giants head to Chicago, they hope to secure their first road win in the NFL, facing off against the Bears. So far, they’re winless in games against New Orleans, Denver, and Philadelphia. In six starts, Dart’s record stands at 2-4, and with injuries on offense and ongoing struggles on defense, his first-year stats might not look pretty.
He’ll certainly have support if he needs to adjust his mindset.
There was a time when rookie quarterbacks weren’t thrown into the fire so quickly, needing to wait for their moment while older players dealt with the rough patches. Aikman went 0-11 in 1989 with the Cowboys, Manning finished 3-13 with the Colts in 1998, Eli Manning had a 1-6 start with the Giants in 2004, and Archie Manning ended up at 3-5-2 with the Saints in 1972. Those Mannings certainly didn’t light it up immediately, right?
Other notable names had similar beginnings: Terry Bradshaw with a 3-5 slate in 1970, John Elway at 4-6 in 1983, Matthew Stafford at 2-8 in 2009, and Dan Fouts at 0-5-1 in 1973. Jared Goff started 0-7 with the Rams in 2016, and Phil Simms had a brief 6-5 record in 1979, but he and the Giants dropped to 3-10 the following year.
Yet, there are exceptions that challenge the idea that rookies must struggle. Ben Roethlisberger set a remarkable 13-0 record with the Steelers in 2004, while Dak Prescott matched that with 13-3 in 2016.
Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, and Matt Ryan all found success early in their careers, winning 11 games as rookies. More recently, Jaden Daniels and Bo Nix achieved 12 and 10 wins, respectively.
Clearly, it is possible, but it often requires rookies to endure some tough lessons before they really find their footing.
“It really hurts to see him take this loss so seriously,” said veteran guard Jon Runyan about Dart. “He feels responsible as the quarterback, but he has our support. We want him to know it’s not all on him. He’s not used to losing, and this period is tough for him. However, we believe in him and his potential.”
Dart, for his part, seems undeterred about the future, resolute in not letting this season solely be a learning experience.
“It’s tough, we’re putting in the work and not seeing the results,” he noted. “But you have to stick with your process. I trust my teammates, and winning one game at a time is our priority.”
