New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart returned from a first-quarter injury scare to throw a touchdown pass against the visiting Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. Head coach John Harbaugh was making his preseason debut for the Giants when Dart was forced out of the game during the first frame.
Dart ended up on his back after failing to pick up blitzing safety Jay Ward. Giants play-by-play announcer Bob Papa, broadcasting alongside former team stars Carl Banks and Phil Simms, said, "Dart gets blasted." Medical staff escorted Dart into the tent for a concussion evaluation, repeating a scenario that occurred several times during his rookie season.
Dart cleared concussion protocol and returned to the game two plays later. Rolling to his left from the 15-yard line, the second-year signal caller floated a pass into a crowded end zone. Rookie third-round pick Malachi Fields managed to come down with the football for a touchdown.
Dart was pulled after completing 3 of 4 passes for 26 yards and one touchdown. Fans reacted enthusiastically on social media to the performance. One fan wrote, "Dart is already really showing that he's a starter-quality QB. I think he's gonna have a long, solid career in the NFL." Another fan added, "Not many [quarterbacks] turn that into a TD. Jaxson dart does." A third fan stated that the "level of difficulty was ridiculous," adding, "Dart is making these throws look way too easy."
Political Rally and Oval Office Remarks
The Ole Miss product has become a fan favorite among Giants supporters and President Donald Trump. Dart introduced Trump at a Republican "Fighting For American Workers" rally in Suffern, New York, on May 22. Asked by ESPN for his Super Bowl favorites heading into the season, Trump said this week that "New England looks good" and the "LA Rams are looking very strong," while including the Giants as well. "I like their quarterback a lot," Trump said.
Trump later praised Dart during an Oval Office appearance, recounting their meeting at the rally. Trump stated, "The quarterback Jaxson was the quarter- is the quarterback for the Giants. He's a big, strong guy." Trump added, "And I said, 'How do you think you do in women's sports, Jaxson?' He said, 'Pretty good, sir.' He didn't know I was joking. He was not worried. Let me put it that way." Trump concluded that Dart "would have been the greatest athlete in the history of women's sports" and described him as "like a male model."
Locker Room Rift and Team Leadership
Dart's appearance at the political rally caused a rift in the Giants locker room. Defensive star Abdul Carter publicly called him out in an X post he later deleted, writing, "Thought this s*** was AI, what we doing man".
Both players addressed the controversy during organized team activities in May, with neither fully backing down or admitting wrongdoing. However, both insisted their difference in political opinion would have no impact on the team. Carter described Dart as "one of our leaders" and "the face of our franchise," stating, "Some things are bigger than football, and this is one of those things."
