Regardless of how you feel about head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, the future of the New York Giants is first-round pick Jaxson Dart, and not any of the other quarterbacks on their roster. While I would strongly argue that Dart is too green coming out of Ole Miss to start right away, the clear and obvious choice to lead the G-Men out of the tunnel is ... not Russell Wilson.
That would be Jameis Winston. While Tommy DeVito is everyone in The Tri-State Area's hometown hero, only one quarterback on the Giants' roster is a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion. Yes, Winston may be incredibly goofy, but he has reinvented himself over the last few years as a man of the people. He is widely respected as one of the best backups in the league who can spot-start.
Wilson has not been the same player since his penultimate season in Seattle. His two-year run in Denver was a disaster. His lone year in Pittsburgh only delayed the inevitable with Mike Tomlin. For as much as he views himself as a leader, I would much rather head into battle with a guy who once ate W's in New Orleans, than a guy who did high knees in the middle of an aisle on a transatlantic flight.
Winston may not have Wolverine blood pumping through his veins, but he is the far better motivator.
Jameis Winston just addressed the offense after a dreadful first 11-on-11 period for the offense.
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) August 12, 2025
While Wilson may view a career in politics after the NFL, can we please get Winston on TV yesterday?
Jameis is for the people 😅🤝 pic.twitter.com/rOd9dPeRbA
— New York Giants (@Giants) August 8, 2025
My biggest concern is Daboll will do what is so New York Giants safe and go with Mr. IBM in Wilson...
Jameis Winston should be NY Giants' Week 1 starter over Russell Wilson
For the Giants to get out of their funk, it starts by being real with oneself. Dart is the future, DeVito is a hometown hero, Wilson is a has-been, and Winston is a Pixy Stick we are so going to enjoy right now! He will throw touchdowns, just like he will throw interceptions. Winston may win games, just as much as he might lose them. He is always doing stuff, which is what makes him a better option over Wilson.
When it comes to Wilson, it has devolved from "Go 'Hawks!" to a whole bunch of prefacing, posturing and schmoozing. If I wanted to be openly pandered to, I would listen to a Hillary Clinton speech. I do not need to have a starting quarterback relate to me. I only want him to win games! With Wilson, I feel like the New York faithful will be sold a bill of goods full of empty promises a fading star cannot deliver on.
As for Winston, who does not like a lovable goofball? He may be too much of a loose cannon for the uptight Giants fan base that is rigidly steeped in tradition. Outside of the two Eli Manning Super Bowl runs, it has been a lot of Odell Beckham Jr. hype in between a ton of Kerry Collins and Daniel Jones disappointment. Winston is not a prototypical Giant, but I would follow him into The Mists of Avalon.
If the Giants aim to win more than five games this season, I would start the former No. 1 overall pick.