Credit: Candice Ward/Getty; Kevin Sabitus/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart read a statement to media on Friday, May 29 after a teammate criticized his recent appearance at a rally with President Donald Trump
- Dart said the Giants have had “vulnerable conversations” and explained why he agreed to make the rally appearance
- His teammate Abdul Carter also spoke to media on Friday, telling reporters he’s spoken to Dart and that he wants to “move past this”
Jaxson Dart said he had “vulnerable conversations” with his teammates amid criticism following his appearance at a recent Trump rally.
Players from the New York Giants spoke to media on Friday, May 29, including 23-year-old Dart, who delivered a lengthy statement addressing the backlash over his appearance at the rally with President Donald Trump one week earlier.
Dart began with an explanation about wanting to participate in the “unique opportunity to introduce the President of the United States,” and shared that the “president position has always been a position that I’ve always well respected regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party.”
“I also understand, in this world, politics can be a sensitive matter, a sensitive topic,” Dart continued, saying that he’s aware of the “responsibility” that comes with being the Giants’ quarterback.
Credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty
Dart went on to shout out members of the Giants, including the staff, his teammates, and coaches, saying that he’s “loved making relationships” and “growing connections” within the organization.
“And that’s the kind of person I am,” said Dart. “I’m a connecter.”
Dart also shared that his relationships with his teammates remain strong, “regardless of politics, regardless of religious beliefs, regardless of anything that may be different between us.”
“I love them and they know exactly what kind of person I am,” he said.
“I lay my body on the line for my guys each and every week,” Dart said, noting that he’s “been somebody who has always respected the different perspectives people may have and the backgrounds they come from,” and said being on the Giants offers him “a cool opportunity to be in a locker room where it’s a melting pot of people from everywhere.”
“And I think the connections we build are special because we’re able to have vulnerable conversations,” Dart continued on Friday. “We’re able to learn from each other, support each other, be respective of the color of our skin, and we have a real brotherhood.”
Dart said the team has “had a lot of honest conversations with each other” following the controversy, but declined to share more about the discussions.
“I like to keep those things private,” he said. “I love these guys and going forward, I can’t wait for what more we have to grow and the culture of this team and our brotherhood.”
Giants linebacker Abdul Carter — who reposted Dart’s appearance at the Trump rally and wrote, “Thought this s— was AI. What we doing, man?” on X in a since-deleted post — also addressed the media on Friday.
“Some things are bigger than football, and this is one of those things. Jaxson is one of our leaders — he’s the face of our franchise,” Carter said. “He represents himself and what he does, and he represents all of us. If he chooses to align himself with a man like President Trump, it’s my responsibility based on what I believe and what I stand on to not only show my teammates that I’m against that, but to show the world.”
Carter said that the political differences don’t mean that he and Dart “have beef,” adding, “I sit next to Jaxson every day. We’re close, we talk.”
“As long as we make sure we have the same goal as a team, and our goals align, which they do, that’s all that matters. I just want to move past this,” Carter concluded.
Read the original article on People