Giants remove Dart jersey after he attempts to return from knee injury

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart attempted to reenter the first half of Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams despite a knee injury, but the team prevented his return by removing his jersey, according to ESPN reports. The quarterback went down seven snaps into the second quarter after being hit twice by Rams defenders on a throw to Theo Johnson. His knee bent awkwardly during the contact, and he was seen writhing in pain as trainers approached the field. Dart walked off the field under his own power and entered the locker room. He later returned to the sideline wearing street clothes and a chain, but the Giants would not allow him to play further in the first half. ESPN reported that staff members took his jersey to ensure he could not attempt to rejoin the game. Giants coach John Harbaugh did not confirm reports that Dart sprained his medial collateral ligament, describing the injury as "in the neighborhood of it." The team scheduled an MRI for Tuesday to assess the severity and provide more information. Jameis Winston replaced Dart at quarterback but did not significantly improve the offense during the remainder of the game. The Giants' defense forced turnovers but allowed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to throw four touchdown passes. Davante Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards, including two touchdowns. Winston described the injury as a "gut punch" for the team. Harbaugh stated that the immediate focus is on managing other injuries, noting that Malik Nabers and Brian Burns were also banged up during the contest. If Dart misses at least four weeks, he will be out for games against the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and New Orleans Saints.