Jaxson Dart Parents: Everything to Know About Kara and Brandon Dart

Jaxson Dart has quickly become one of the most talked-about young quarterbacks in the NFL, but his competitive personality was formed long before he arrived with the New York Giants. Much of that foundation came from his parents, Kara and Brandon Dart, two former athletes who raised their family in Utah with sports, discipline and plenty of friendly competition around the house.

The Giants selected Jaxson with the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after his standout college career at USC and Ole Miss. His official Giants biography lists Brandon and Kara as his parents and notes that he grew up with three siblings, younger brother Diesel and sisters Stella and Sydney.

Both parents understand competitive sports firsthand. Brandon played defensive back at the University of Utah, while Kara competed in several sports growing up. Their influence can still be seen in Jaxson’s physical style of football, his approach to preparation and even his pregame fashion.

Who Are Jaxson Dart’s Parents?

Jaxson Dart is the son of Brandon and Kara Dart. He was born on May 13, 2003, and raised in Utah in a close family that has remained heavily involved in his football journey.

Brandon and Kara were athletes themselves before becoming parents.

Brandon attended Northridge High School in Layton, Utah, where he competed in several sports before continuing his football career at the University of Utah.

Kara also grew up in Utah and attended Weber High School. Her athletic background included basketball, volleyball and track. She was particularly successful in basketball, earning all-state recognition twice.

Their backgrounds meant Jaxson grew up in a home where training, competition and pushing through difficult situations were normal parts of life.

Kara has described one of the family’s guiding ideas as becoming comfortable with uncomfortable situations. That philosophy seems to have carried into Jaxson’s football career, especially when he has faced injuries, transfers, quarterback competitions and the pressure of playing in the NFL.

Brandon Dart Played Football at Utah

Jaxson’s father understands the physical demands of football better than most parents.

Brandon Dart played safety for the Utah Utes after arriving at the university in the 1990s. His college career showed both his talent and his ability to keep going through difficult injuries.

His best full season came in 1996. Brandon started 10 games and finished as Utah’s second-leading tackler with 96 tackles. He also recorded a team-high 15 tackles for loss and earned honorable mention all-WAC recognition.

Unfortunately, injuries repeatedly interrupted his career.

Brandon dealt with back, knee, hamstring and foot problems over several seasons. The NCAA eventually granted him two additional years of eligibility because injuries had taken away so much playing time. Utah later noted that he endured multiple season-ending knee surgeries along with serious foot and back injuries during his unusually long college career.

That experience appears to have shaped the advice he later gave Jaxson.

Brandon understood early that football careers rarely unfold perfectly. Good performances can be followed by difficult games, injuries can change plans and talented teams do not always get the result they expect.

That perspective became useful as Jaxson’s own career developed.

Brandon Helped Develop Jaxson’s Physical Playing Style

Jaxson Dart is a quarterback, but he has rarely played like someone afraid of contact.

He has often lowered his shoulder instead of sliding when scrambling, something that worries coaches and his mother but reflects the way he learned football at home.

Jaxson has directly credited his father for that mentality.

During his Ole Miss career, he explained that Brandon raised him to think of himself as a football player first and a quarterback second. He said his father passed along an appreciation for the physical side of the game.

That connection makes sense considering Brandon’s background as a defensive player.

Even Ole Miss noted the family connection when Dart discussed his reluctance to slide. Jaxson pointed to his father’s defensive career at Utah while explaining why he enjoys playing aggressively.

Brandon’s influence went beyond technique. He also helped Jaxson understand that one disappointing result should not erase everything positive that happened before it.

Those lessons became especially relevant during Jaxson’s college years, when he transferred from USC to Ole Miss and had to establish himself again in a new program.

What Does Brandon Dart Do Now?

After football, Brandon built a career away from professional sports.

He is an entrepreneur and has been identified as the owner of Dartco Masonry.

His life after college provides another interesting part of the Dart family story. Brandon had once considered pursuing dentistry while playing at Utah, but his eventual career took him into business.

Despite leaving competitive football behind, he remained closely connected to the game through his children.

Jaxson has spoken repeatedly about his father’s football knowledge, and Brandon has been visible supporting him through college and into the NFL.

Football is now continuing into another generation of the family as well.

Kara Dart Was a Standout Athlete Too

Jaxson did not inherit his athletic ability only from his father.

Kara Dart competed in volleyball and track and was a two-time all-state basketball player during her school years. She later maintained a strong interest in fitness and running and has operated a fitness program.

Her approach to exercise remained serious even after raising four children.

In 2019, Kara suffered a significant foot and ankle injury that required surgery and prevented her from participating in the Boston Marathon. The setback was particularly difficult because running and physical activity had been part of her life for years.

Still, she returned to fitness rather than allowing the injury to completely change her lifestyle.

That resilience fits the mentality she and Brandon encouraged in their children.

Kara’s involvement in Jaxson’s football career has also included some tough feedback. She is supportive, but she has never been afraid to tell her son when she believes he could have played a situation differently.

Kara Still Wants Jaxson to Slide

There is one disagreement that has followed Jaxson from college into professional football.

Kara wants her son to protect himself.

Jaxson’s willingness to absorb contact can create exciting plays, but a quarterback taking unnecessary hits can also create problems for an entire team.

During his Ole Miss years, Jaxson joked that his mother regularly reminded him to slide before games. Even when he was walking away after speaking to her, Kara would sometimes make sure he heard the message again.

Her concern has proven understandable as his career has moved into the NFL, where defenders are bigger, faster and capable of delivering far more punishing hits.

Interestingly, the Giants noticed Jaxson’s physical style before drafting him. General manager Joe Schoen publicly joked after the 2025 draft that the team might need to teach Dart how to slide because he had a tendency to try running through defenders.

It sounds very similar to the advice his mother had already been giving him for years.

Kara Influenced Jaxson’s Fashion Too

Kara’s influence on her son extends well beyond football.

Jaxson has developed a reputation for paying attention to what he wears during pregame arrivals, and his mother has played a large role in that interest.

During his college years, he explained that Kara helped him explore different clothing styles and regularly gave him advice when he was choosing between outfits.

That relationship continued after he reached the NFL.

Following his rookie season, Jaxson said Kara was still heavily involved in helping with his pregame looks and described her opinion as the one he trusts most when making fashion decisions.

For a player known for his tunnel outfits, that makes Kara something of an unofficial stylist as well as his mother.

Jaxson Dart Has Three Siblings

Brandon and Kara have four children together.

Jaxson is the oldest, followed by his brother Diesel and sisters Stella and Sydney. The Giants’ official biography confirms all three siblings.

Stella has participated in competitive dance, while Sydney has largely stayed outside the sports spotlight and has expressed interest in education.

Jaxson has remained particularly close to his sisters. One of his recognizable pieces of jewelry, a heart necklace he has worn during football games, originally belonged to one of them.

His brother Diesel, meanwhile, appears to be continuing the family’s football tradition.

Diesel Dart Is Following the Family Football Path

Diesel Dart plays safety at Corner Canyon High School, the same Utah program where Jaxson finished his high school career.

In June 2026, Diesel committed to the University of Utah, the school where his father played decades earlier.

The 6-foot-1 defensive back chose Utah despite receiving scholarship offers from programs including Michigan, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arizona and BYU. During the 2025 season, he recorded 49 tackles and two interceptions while also contributing on offense.

His commitment creates an interesting family circle.

Brandon played safety for Utah. Jaxson became an NFL quarterback after taking a different college route. Now Diesel is preparing to return the Dart name to Utah’s defensive backfield as part of the 2027 recruiting class.

Kara and Brandon Remain Central to Jaxson’s Career

Jaxson Dart has already traveled a long way from playing sports with his family in Utah.

He became the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year at Corner Canyon, began college at USC, transferred to Ole Miss, rewrote several school passing records and eventually became a first-round NFL draft pick.

Throughout that journey, Kara and Brandon remained familiar faces around his career.

Their influence comes from different directions. Brandon gave Jaxson a defender’s mentality and an understanding of the difficult realities of football. Kara brought her own competitive background, constant encouragement and the occasional reminder that quarterbacks really should slide.

Together, they created a family environment where sports mattered, but resilience mattered just as much.

Now that Jaxson is building his career with the New York Giants and Diesel is preparing to play at Utah, the athletic tradition Brandon and Kara started years ago is continuing into another chapter.