Russell Wilson vows to continue helping Giants after being benched for Jaxson Dart: 'I'm not done'

Following his benching in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart, New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson took his relegation to a backup role in stride while speaking to reporters Wednesday, as he vowed to continue helping his team. Wilson, who was signed this offseason as a bridge quarterback to the Giants' future, lasted just three games in the starting role before giving way to Dart.

Amid the Giants' 0-3 start, Wilson turned in performances that varied from one extreme to the next. He turned back the clock in a vintage performance against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns, including a 48-yarder to Malik Nabers that should have won the Giants the game with just 25 seconds left. But that game was sandwiched in-between two anemic performances against the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs, which came to a head with Wilson being booed by the MetLife Stadium crowd and chants of "We Want Dart" breaking out.

Wilson stressed that he will continue to try and be a leader and positive presence for the Giants, particularly for his rookie teammate in Dart.

"I'm not done. I've got so much belief in myself and know what I can be capable of. I believe I was able to show it, especially on the road in Dallas and everything else," Wilson said. "I know I can help this football team if that comes up ... You control your attitude and you control your gratitude. And those two things are important to me, because I love the game, I love the process, and I respect it. That's the only thing I know."

Wilson also spoke from a place of overall perspective, citing a belief that was reinforced by his recent visit to a local children's hospital.

"Life is about response," Wilson said. "I went to the children's hospital on Tuesday, and when you go and you see kids fighting for something that is maybe outside of what they can handle at times, it gives you a lot of perspective. So for me, life is about response, and I know that I'm gonna respond in the right way every day."

As part of that response, Wilson shared that he would not request his release, nor ask for a trade. "I'm focused on helping this team win," he said. "I'm focused on helping Jaxson. I'm focused on me getting ready to be the best version of me today on Wednesday. I want to be here. I love this organization. I love the process of it all, I love the guys in the locker room. I'm not giving up on us in this season."

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For the Giants, continuing to play Wilson -- who turns 37 in November and is on his third team in four seasons -- became increasingly untenable thanks to not just fans and media clamoring for Dart to play, but also a lack of results for coach Brian Daboll. The Giants are a lowly 1-14 in their last 15 games, and the success of former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones on the Indianapolis Colts has made already poor optics surrounding Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen even worse.

While turning to Dart, a first-round pick, amounts to a last-ditch effort for Daboll and Schoen to save their jobs, the results for Wilson were also not enough to justify his continued play. Outside of his magnificent performance against Dallas, Wilson has completed just 35 of 69 passes for 328 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.