Last year, when rookie Jaxson Dart made his New York Giants debut, he breathed life into a fanbase in desperate need of a pick-me-up. The 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft flashed true playmaking ability.
Yet, at times, a reckless play style led to turmoil. For Dart, it meant dealing with concussion symptoms that knocked him out of one game and kept him out of the next two. Now one former NFL defensive back has a message for the Giants’ 23-year-old franchise quarterback.
Former NFLPA Prez Offers Advice for Jaxson Dart
Over the weekend, Giants running back Cam Skattebo drew criticism at the Fanatics Fest for a failed backflip attempt. The frustrations didn’t stem from the fact that he didn’t complete the acrobatic move successfully; rather, it was because he’s pulling risky stunts away from the NFL field.
That sparked a conversation on ESPN’s “Get Up” program, to which former NFLPA president and current ESPN NFL analyst Domonique Foxworth had some advice for Dart. He says the young QB needs to make better “business decisions” out of respect for his teammates.
But that doesn’t mean eliminating Dart’s trademark aggressive nature on the field that fans have come to love him for.
“I’d be much more concerned about it from a quarterback standpoint than from the running back’s standpoint,” Foxworth said.
“You have to get to a point where Dart understands that it’s not only putting yourself at risk. It’s about showing respect to everybody else on this team.”
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So, how does Dart do that? Foxworth suggests Dart would be better off practicing the mantra of living to see another down. Take what the defense gives you, and learn to trust your teammates.
But Foxworth adds that Dart doesn’t have to change who he is as a player; he can still make plays with his feet, he just needs to be smarter.
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“You don’t have to win every play,” Foxworth stressed. “You don’t have to win every single time you touch the ball. There are other people who can make plays, and nobody eats if you’re hurt.
“That’s the responsibility part. The aggressiveness, the linebacker nature of his mindset? That’s not the problem. You gotta be able to make a smart business decision. That’s the challenge, and I think he’ll get there.”
Foxworth is a former defensive back who played seven NFL seasons, including with the Baltimore Ravens from 2009 to 2011 until knee problems ended his career. Now, the former Harvard grad is offering his wisdom to Dart, and he believes the Giants QB will figure it out.
After all, Dart was just a rookie last season. He was still getting used to the size, strength, and speed of the NFL.
It usually takes young players a few seasons to get fully adjusted to making the jump from college to the pros, and Dart had his fair share of learning moments last season. Whether he learns from them and shows “respect” to his teammates by making smarter decisions remains to be seen.
