Russell Wilson Needs 251 Yards to Surpass Fran Tarkenton Amid Brian Daboll’s Coaching Struggles

Despite 618 passing yards and three touchdowns from two games, Russell Wilson has plenty of issues to worry about this season. His job as the New York Giants’ starting QB is uncertain. With Russ failing to perform in crucial situations in both games, the Giants are now 0-2.

The Giants have a tough opponent in Week 3 at MetLife as they face the Kansas City Chiefs, who are also 0-2. A win is an essential prerequisite for both teams to ensure they have momentum in Week 4.

Meanwhile, Wilson and coach Brian Daboll are at the center stage for multiple reasons. The Giants’ struggles in previous seasons have made Daboll the frontrunner on the list of head coaches to be fired.

🚨🚨🚨NFL RUMORS #Giants Brian Daboll could be FIRED as early as after Week 3 and Jaxson Dart could be placed on as starter pic.twitter.com/l3Idl4fYgB

— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) September 20, 2025

The fact that Daboll has won just 19 of the 55 games he has coached speaks volumes about his struggles to fit in as the Giants’ HC. A loss against the Chiefs would likely prompt the front office to make some harsh calls.

One also needs to consider how well Daniel Jones, a former Giant, is performing for the Colts. Add to this, Saquon Barkley showcased MVP-level play after leaving the Giants. All these points indicate that there is something off with the coaching strategy because the players are excelling after they leave the Giants.

Meanwhile, what is the insecurity concerning Wilson? The issue is similar to what the Atlanta Falcons experienced last year between Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. It is the QB competition between Wilson and Jaxson Dart.

Frustrated Giants fans have already called for the team to replace Wilson with Dart. However, experienced analysts like Pat McAfee believe Russ deserves “more chances” to fit into the system.

Interestingly, the former Broncos QB is at the cornerstone of a few records. If he throws for 251 or more passing yards against the Chiefs, he will surpass Fran Tarkenton (47,003) on the list. At present, Russ stands 15th on the list of QBs with the most passing yards (46,753).

Among active QBs, only Aaron Rodgers (63,399) and Matthew Stafford (60,352) have more passing yards than Russ. Moreover, Russ has a historic feat in sight: if he surpasses 3,500 passing yards this season, he would reach the 50,000 passing yards milestone, becoming the 13th QB to achieve the same.

If Russ continues to perform at a high level, he has a chance to overtake Giants legend Eli Manning’s career record (57,003). However, he will need strong seasons over the next two years to get close to Eli’s elite numbers.

At 36, age is not on Russ’s side. Plus, an impatient fan base and a team that has lost the majority of its games over the last four seasons stare at a transition. Hence, it is paramount for Russ not just to score touchdowns but to lead his team to more wins.

It will also help Daboll save his job, since he is on the hot seat alongside Panthers head coach Dave Canales.