In Week 10, New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart left the game early against the Chicago Bears after being evaluated for a concussion. Before leaving the game, Dart was shining and playing like a Rookie of the Year contender, throwing for 242 yards on 65.5% completion and adding two rushing touchdowns and 66 rushing yards on six attempts.
This isn’t Darts’ first go-around in concussion talks this season, and a significant incident occurred earlier in the year involving former head coach Brian Daboll and rookie running back Cam Skattebo. Daboll and Skattebo entered the blue medical tent during Dart’s concussion test, which the NFL strictly prohibits. As a result, the Giants, Daboll, and Skattebo faced varying fines. Amid all the concussion concerns, a former NFL player and Super Bowl Champion gave Dart valuable advice.
A Super Bowl Champion Gives Jaxson Dart a Warning
Former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib was known for his physicality on the football field. Talib appeared on a talk show and discussed the reckless way Dart plays. In the interview, he said the following:
“When a quarterback takes off, for defensive players it’s like a bullseye on your head. We trying to take off on you. He’s not going to make it too long.”
“When a quarterback takes off, for defensive players it’s like a bullseye on your head. We trying to take off on you. He’s not going to make it too long.”@AqibTalib21 and the crew agree Jaxson Dart needs to protect himself if he is going to continue to run the ball. pic.twitter.com/PIhwUuLXMx
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) November 10, 2025
Everything Talib said is true: If Dart wants to continue running the ball, he needs to take precautions, such as sliding and running out of bounds.
For a guy who has shown the potential of being a franchise quarterback, he needs to play smarter and less recklessly. Even though there are rules in place to protect quarterbacks, defenders still want to hit them as hard as they can whenever they can.
In nine games, Dart has thrown for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. As a rusher, Dart has rushed for 317 yards and seven touchdowns in 57 attempts. In PFSN’s Quarterback Impact rankings, Dart ranks 14th, which is better than veteran quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield, Aaron Rodgers, and Tua Tagovailoa.
It’s clear. If Dart wants to have a long and successful career in the NFL, he needs to adopt a safer/less reckless style of play. That doesn’t mean he needs to sacrifice his ground game, but he needs to take proper precautions to avoid big hits against him.
