Sunday’s matchup at MetLife comes with a spark. The Giants, winless at 0-3, in a turn of events, have switched to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to ignite their season. Head coach Brian Daboll made the call, benching Russell Wilson and handing the keys to a dual-threat passer who has impressed in the preseason with touchdowns in all three games. And now, analysts see it both as a risk and a promise. In fact, GMenHQ has declared, “The Dart era has officially begun.” But one of the interesting analyses comes from Aaron Rodgers’ brother.

The ESPN NFL IG post took to highlight the Giants’ QB shakeup, as analyst Jordan Rodgers backed up Dart. And, the graphic led with Rodgers’ strong endorsement from Get Up: “[Jaxson Dart] is built for this moment.” But the comments went forth to quickly shift its focus, not on Dart, but on Rodgers himself. Taking to the comments section, one of the fans questioned, “Why is Aaron Rodgers’ brother getting a platform to talk ball? 😂 so weird,” taking a swipe at Jordan’s credibility.

And, this somehow suggested that Jordan’s opportunities to talk football came more from family ties than merit. But Rodgers, never one to dodge, fired back with conviction and a tinge of humor. Replying to the comment, he wrote, “I’ve been the lead college football analyst for SEC Network for 9 years…that’s probably why. That or the Bachelor 😂.” Even though it was short, it was a layered response.

And, there is some degree of truth to Jordan’s comments. Back in July 2016, he joined ESPN’s SEC Network, making his debut on SEC Now, before he moved into the SEC Saturday Night booth the following fall.

By 2020, he was a fixture on SEC Nation, which was the network’s Saturday pregame show. Nine years later, he is still there front and center, as ESPN has even expanded his responsibilities into UFL coverage. But Rodgers’ credentials extend beyond the desk, too. He has played QB at Vanderbilt, guiding the Commodores to back-to-back bowl games and posting over 2,500 passing yards in 2012.

Not just this, his response also hit on a second truth. That is, his TV did raise his profile. With a huge fan following, Rodgers won Season 12 of The Bachelorette in 2016. When he proposed to JoJo Fletcher in the finale, it was watched by millions. But as ESPN executives noted at the time, Rodgers was already hired before the show aired.

“We were immediately impressed with his intelligence and passion for the game,” ESPN’s Stephanie Druley said that summer. And, “The Bachelorette” indeed made him more recognizable to casual fans.

Now, as he drops his views for Jaxson Dart, it comes from an informed position, rather than catapulting on someone else’s name. While his family name will always invite comparisons, especially given the estrangement between him and his older brother Aaron, his own broadcasting career gives him credibility.

As the Giants made headlines with Daboll confirming Dart will take over as QB1 heading into Week 4, Jordan Rodgers quickly pivoted to share his perspective.

Aaron Rodgers’s brother is all praise for Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart, a former Ole Miss standout, brings a strong collegiate résumé, including being the only SEC quarterback in the last five years. As the news hit the NFL paradigms, even Jordan Rodgers jumped on the bandwagon to share his opinions.

On ESPN’s Get Up, analyst Jordan Rodgers praised the Giants’ choice and pointed to Dart’s ability to stay put under pressure. “The first thing that stands out, he’s unflappable. Nothing phases this kid. The moment is never too big,” Rodgers said, as he recalled his time covering eight or nine of Dart’s games at Ole Miss.

Not just this, Rodgers also took to highlight Dart’s ability to push the ball downfield with precision. He said, “Not like a Russell Wilson rainbow deep shot. He actually excels at the deep back shoulder throw.” He not only praised his accuracy, but also brought attention to Dart’s size, and underrated football IQ in Lane Kiffin’s up-tempo system: “He had to process quickly pre-snap… post-snap. So he is absolutely ready for this opportunity. There’s going to be rookie mistakes, no doubt, Greeny, but he’s built for this moment.”

Indeed, this is a big decision for a struggling Giants team that is about to face an undefeated Chargers squad. The ESPN banner laid it out in the IG post, “NFL WEEK 4: CHARGERS (3-0) at GIANTS (0-3) Sunday, 4:25 ET.” Right now, both optimism and plenty of curiosity surround Dart’s debut. But it is finally the time to see if the rookie can spark life into New York’s season against one of the league’s top defenses.