The 2025 NFL season started rough for the New York Giants. Their opener was a 21-6 pain-in-the-neck loss to the Washington Commanders. No surprise who struggled most. The Giants’ offense looked off from the jump. Russell Wilson, as a Giant, was making his 200th NFL start. Instead of fireworks, fans saw frustration.

Wilson was under siege with an offense missing its star left tackle, Andrew Thomas. The line gave him no love, letting defenders hit him eight times and sack him twice. Wilson barely completed half his passes, 17-of-37 for just 168 yards. No touchdowns or interceptions, the QB rating stuck at 59.3. Despite 13 red zone plays, the Giants scored just three points, highlighting their failure to convert opportunities into touchdowns. That’s not going to win road games against good teams.

After such a deflating game, Wilson dropped his message in two simple words on X: “Mentally Tough.” Just a reminder that he’s still in the fight despite the stumble. He knew the Giants’ offense was off its game, yet he stayed locked in the entire game. His mind is already locked in on September 14 in Dallas, turning over what went wrong and how to fix it. This isn’t the end; it’s a challenge to meet head-on.

Even after the loss, Wilson focused on improving. “I thought we competed our b—s off today. That was a physical game. I thought we left it all on the field,” he said. “We gave it our all physically. You stand tall in the midst of that game. Battling through it, and trying to find a way to win.” The takeaway: the offense failed in the red zone, the story of the game. “Like I said, they stopped us in the red zone. I think that was the name of this game. We had, I think, eight or nine possessions; two of them were down in the red zone. We didn’t capitalize on those, so that’s what we got to do,” he admitted.

Wilson’s attitude showed he’s ready for corrections. “Just focus on what we can do better,” he added. “We have a good team, [Washington] is a good football team too…if you don’t convert in the red zone, that’s what happens.” Wilson explained the game was tight, 14-6 for most of the day. Washington didn’t score until the final minutes. He wished they could have been closer on the scoreboard, something like 14-10 or pushing 14-17. But now, after that performance, Brian Daboll is quietly questioning whether starting Wilson was the right call.

Brian Daboll dodges Russell Wilson question

When pressed about Wilson’s starting role for Week 2 against the Cowboys, Daboll was cagey. He didn’t give a clear yes or no. Instead, Daboll emphasized collective improvement. “We’re gonna get home, look at our game. Collectively we’ve all got to do better,” he said, but added, “I’ve got confidence in Russell. We’ve got to better around overall, players, coaches, around everybody… I’ve got confidence in Russ. So we’re gonna go back, we’ll evaluate the tape.”

Mind you, the HC repeated thrice that he has “confidence in Russ.” That’s a whole lot of confidence after that stumbling loss. Daboll refuses to blame Wilson. “This game isn’t on Russell Wilson. It’s not on Russell Wilson. I want to make that clear,” he insisted. But his reluctance to commit fueled questions. Jaxson Dart, the rookie first-round pick and Wilson’s backup, looms as a potential replacement if things don’t improve.

Despite the uncertainty, Daboll later confirmed Wilson would start Week 2. But the coach’s initial vagueness casts a shadow on the Giants’ quarterback situation. After going 9-26 since 2023’s Week 1 and enduring a franchise-worst 3-14 season last year under Daboll, the HC’s job security is as shaky as his team’s offense.

The Giants’ 0-1 start is ugly. Wilson’s “Mentally Tough” message cuts through the noise. But until the offense performs, and Daboll’s commitment edges clearer, the Giants’ quarterback saga will hang in the air.