The John Harbaugh era in New York gets its first test Saturday afternoon, and the Giants are wasting no time putting their young roster in front of live action.
The Giants host the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium in their preseason opener, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. ET. The game will air locally on NBC 4.
This one is more than just an exhibition opener for New York. It’s the first chance to see quarterback Jaxson Dart operate the offense under the new coaching staff, and ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that Dart and most of the Giants’ starters are expected to play.
“The expectation is that quarterback Jaxson Dart and most of the Giants’ starters will play against the Vikings, according to multiple sources,” Raanan said. “That makes sense considering Harbaugh said earlier this week that he values game experience in the preseason, and Dart doesn’t have a lot of game experience.”
How long those starters stay on the field is still up in the air.
On the other sideline, the Vikings are set to roll out newly named starter Kyler Murray after he beat out J.J. McCarthy in the quarterback competition. The game also marks the professional debuts of linebacker Arvell Reese, guard Francis Mauigoa, and wide receiver Malachi Fields.
New York will be without a pair of receivers. Malik Nabers has been ruled out with a knee injury, and Jalin Hyatt is out because of a leg/ankle issue. Cornerback Paulson Adebo is listed as a game-time decision with a hamstring injury.
Fans have several ways to follow the action. Streaming options include the Giants App and Giants.com, ESPN Unlimited, NFL+, and Fubo, which offers a free trial.
The television broadcast team will feature Bob Papa on play-by-play, with Carl Banks and Phil Simms as analysts and Howard Cross on the sideline.
For radio listeners, WFAN will carry the game with Paul Dottino, Shaun O’Hara, and John Schmeelk. The Spanish broadcast will air on Que Buena 1280AM with Nestor Rosario and Francis Adames. Pre- and postgame coverage will be handled by John Schmeelk and Tiki Barber on Giants Gameday and Giants Extra Point.
Out-of-market radio affiliates include WPYX 106.5 FM in Albany; 96.3 FM (“The Buzzer”) and WYXL-FM 97.3 HD3 in Cortland and Ithaca; WPOP 1410 AM / 100.9 FM in Hartford; WEEX 1230 AM / 94.7 FM in Easton; WTLA 1200 AM / 97.7-100.1 FM in Syracuse; WTLB 1310 AM / 96.5 FM in Utica; 1350 AM in Rome; WSGO 1440 AM / 100.1 FM in Oswego; and WLAD 800 AM in Danbury.
The Giants and Vikings open their Week 1 preseason slate on Saturday, August 15.
In Other News...
J.J. McCarthy Just Became A Bigger Vikings Question Than Expected
J.J. McCarthy entered his rookie season with the Vikings expected to be the long-term answer, but his first year only deepened the uncertainty around his timeline. Injuries interrupted his progress, his performance came with uneven reviews, and the organization was left to sort through a quarterback situation that never felt as settled as the outside expectation suggested.
Even with the questions, there is still a belief in some NFL circles that McCarthy can develop into a starter if the growth comes soon enough. His name has also come up elsewhere as teams have evaluated him as a potential backup option, a reminder that his value around the league may not match the way the Vikings hoped to view him at this stage. The broader issue now is whether Minnesota is still looking at a future starter or recalibrating what his role might need to be. [Read more 🡒]
Jamal Adams Exit Leaves Vikings Facing A Tough Defensive Question
Jamal Adams preseason debut at MetLife Stadium quickly turned into a worrying scene for Minnesota, as the veteran safety went down with a non-contact injury and had to be carted off the field. It was the sort of moment that can change a teams defensive outlook in a hurry, especially for a player the Vikings were counting on to bring experience and edge to the secondary.
Head coach Kevin OConnell did little to calm those concerns afterward, signaling the Vikings will be without Adams for what could be an extended stretch even though there is still no official diagnosis. Adams injury history already made his status worth monitoring, and now Minnesota has an immediate depth chart issue to sort through before the preseason moves any further. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxson Dart Took A Brutal Hit And Vikings Fans Noticed Fast
Jaxson Dart drew immediate attention in the Giants preseason opener against the Vikings when he headed to the medical tent after taking a hard hit. For Minnesota fans watching a game that was supposed to be about settling in for August football, the moment carried some extra intrigue because Darts health has already been a point of discussion since his rookie season, when multiple visits to the medical tent prompted closer scrutiny of how those situations were handled.
The hit did not end his night, and the larger concern around Dart is less about one preseason snap than the pattern that has followed him into 2026. Even in an exhibition setting, every trip to the sideline raises the same questions about durability and concussion evaluation, and that kind of attention will follow him as long as he keeps getting knocked around. [Read more 🡒]