New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was in attendance for the Ole Miss-Miami matchup on Thursday night.
Following his rookie season, where he quickly took over as the Giants’ starting quarterback, Dart has reached NFL stardom already. Naturally, the cameras were on him during Thursday’s broadcast, and his quick appearance caused quite a stir.
NFL fans, writers, analysts, and anybody who can read lips speculated that Dart’s casual sideline conversation might’ve tipped viewers off to the Giants’ top head coaching candidates, based on what he knows.
Not a lip reader but...
— Giants Daily (@NYGDaily) January 9, 2026
Ole Miss assistant: "Who's going to be the next coach?"
Jaxson Dart: "I don't know.. Harbaugh or Stefanski.. But I don't know." Https://t.co/j0bpd1yunc pic.twitter.com/Fagzkvpic0
The Giants have already kick-started the search to officially replace Brian Daboll, who was let go on November 10. He was replaced by Mike Kafka, who will get an opportunity to state his case to take over full-time.
Right now, Kafka doesn’t seem to be the favorite. The Giants are putting together a notable list of candidates, which currently includes Kevin Stefanski, Vance Joseph, Lou Anarumo, John Harbaugh, Klint Kubiak, Kliff Kingsbury, Mike McCarthy, and Antonio Pierce.
While the speculation based on Dart’s alleged comments suggests that Stefanski and Harbaugh are the favorites, it’s pretty clear that the latter has a strong chance at landing the job if he wants it.
Giants Head Coach News: Giants coaching rumors tracker: Latest on Harbaugh, McCarthy, other potential Brian Daboll replacements
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 6 that Harbaugh is expected to “emerge as a favorite” for the Giants job. New York knows they aren’t alone in the ex-Ravens coach’s market. Harbaugh is expected to generate a lot of interest, and he’s taking some time to regroup before partaking in interviews.
The next head coach will have a major impact on Dart’s development. Although Daboll went into the 2025 NFL season with Russell Wilson as the starter, he quickly made the shift to Dart. It was a wise decision for the Giants to begin that era earlier than planned, but the failed season made it difficult for Dart to get a comfortable season of development. A fresh start for the soon-to-be sophomore will be good.