On Friday, the Giants made both quarterback Jaxson Dart and linebacker Abdul Carter available to reporters to discuss the situation that unfolded when Dart introduced President Donald Trump at a rally and Carter reacted to the gesture on social media.
Quarterback Jameis Winston, reportedly among the veterans who spoke at a Wednesday team meeting on the issue, also met with the media. The entirety of his 10-minute press conference focused on the Dart-Carter situation.
“We’ve grown from it, and I think that’s the thing,” Winston said in response to the final question asked. “Like, we’re dealing with a chaotic situation that has nothing to do with our required profession. We’re understanding the importance of our voice and who we’re capable of impacting. And I think that is — that’s what I want all my teammates to understand that. . . . It’s bigger than you. It’s bigger than the team itself. Like, we all got people that make decisions. But the reverence for authority, the reverence for the process of growth, has to be there. The reverence for life itself. It has to be there.
“So I think that is where we’re learning as a building. We’re learning, we’re growing. But we’re focused on winning football games, man. . . .
“We know we get paid to do. But a lot of us are opening our eyes to the influence that we do have on the whole world. And that’s a beautiful thing. When you can humble yourself and realize that, man, I got impact. I can really be the change that I desire to see. And that’s what I’m encouraging these guys to do.”
The broader point is that, even when individuals have different views, it’s important for teammates to respect that and to unite as a football team.
Dart and Carter obviously have contrasting viewpoints as to the person who has created (and fueled) much of the division the country is currently experiencing. The goal for the Giants (and for any sports team) is to find a way to come together despite who they are and what they think.
That mindset applies beyond football. Too many families have been fractured in recent years. Long-time friendships have been undermined, if not obliterated.
While it may not be easy, the best outcome is to find a way to set it aside and focus on one or more of the many things that unite us. For the Giants and any other pro football team, it’s a necessity.
Time will tell whether the Giants have fully and completely resolved the situation. Carter’s comments touched on the bizarre double standard that emerged this week, with many on the outside criticizing him for exercising his right to state his views while giving Dart a pass.
Both erred, in different ways. Dart (who declined to answer on Friday the specific question of whether he made a mistake) should have realized that introducing Trump would create an issue for some of his teammates. Ideally, Carter should have kept his objection to it in house.
Still, it’s easy to understand why Carter spoke up. Dart’s decision to introduce Trump sent a strong message as to Dart’s views. Carter felt compelled to make it clear that Dart (who is, as Carter said Friday, “the face of the franchise”) wasn’t speaking for the Giants generally or Carter specifically.
The Giants have their top pick from this year’s draft under contract.
Linebacker Arvell Reese has signed his four-year rookie deal with the team. The Giants will also have a team option for a fifth year for the fifth overall pick.
The Giants have now signed all of their picks from April. Reese was one of two first-round picks — offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa was the other — and the Giants selected seven players overall.
Reese played both off-ball linebacker and edge rusher at Ohio State and is expected to be used in a variety of ways by the Giants as well. He had 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks for the Buckeyes last season.
On Friday, both of the men involved in last Saturday’s social-media dustup regarding President Trump spoke to reporters. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, who introduced Trump at a rally last Friday, met with the media. So did linebacker Abdul Carter, who expressed objection to Dart’s gesture.
“So first off, I want to say that some things are bigger than football, and this is one of those things,” Carter said, via SNY. “Jaxson is one of our leaders. He’s the face of our franchise. He not only represents himself in what he does but he represents all of us. And that goes for anybody who wears a Giants uniform.
“But 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.
“And that doesn’t mean that we have to spread hate. It doesn’t mean that me and Jaxson hate each other or we have beef. I sit next to Jaxson every day. Every team meeting we’re close, we talk, you know, we just — as long as we make sure we got the same goal as a team and our goals align, which they do, I feel like that’s all that matters. So, I just want to move past this, and, yeah, that’s it.”
Carter was asked whether Dart apologized for the situation.
“I don’t want him to say he’s sorry,” Carter said. “Like, stand on what you believe in, but it can’t be a problem when I stand on what I believe in. And that’s all that matters to me, just — as long as we have that understanding, it’s all good.”
Although Dart tried to couch his gesture as apolitical, Carter took it as political — and he responded with a political statement. As is his right, the same way it’s Dart’s right to introduce the president at a rally.
Last Friday, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced President Donald Trump at a rally in New York. This Friday, Dart met with reporters.
Following a Saturday dustup on social media sparked by linebacker Abdul Carter and a Wednesday team meeting, Dart made an opening statement that lasted more than four minutes. Here’s the full content of his statement, as posted by Jordan Raanan of ESPN:
“This was a unique opportunity. You know, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States, you know, my thinking was pretty simple. And the fact of, you know, I’ve always loved this country.
“I have extended family members who have fought in wars. I have two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy, and served themselves. And I have a great grandfather who served as Secretary of Treasury at some point. So the president position has always been a position that I have always respected, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party, and my intentions were just that.
“I also understand in this world, politics can be a sensitive matter, a sensitive topic. I also understand that I am the quarterback of the New York Giants, and that involves a lot of responsibility. It’s under a limelight, under a microscope, and there’s a lot that comes with that, and it’s been something that I’ve embraced.
“I’ve loved being here. I love the city of New York. I love the city [sic] of New Jersey, the people that I’ve met here. It’s just been a really amazing experience, and there’s not another place that I’d rather be.
“Most importantly, people in this organization, my teammates, the staff, coaches, everybody that has a hand . . . you name it. You know, I’ve loved making relationships with them and growing connections. And that’s kind of a person that I am. I’m a connector. I love making relationships with people. I love hearing everybody’s stories. And being somebody who, you know, people can rely on to be there for them.
“Most importantly, I can honestly say that I love every single one of my brothers, my teammates on this team regardless of politics, regardless of religious beliefs, regardless of anything that may be different between us. Like, I love them and they know exactly what kind of person that I am, who comes into the facility every day. . . . I lay my body on the line for my guys each and every week. And it’s from the connections that we build, the love that we have for each other. I’ve been somebody who’s always respected the different perspectives that people may have, the backgrounds they come from — I understand that, you know, we have such a cool opportunity as people, to be in the locker room where it’s a melting pot of people from everywhere and you get to be together.
“I think that the connections that we build are special, because, you know, we’re able to have vulnerable conversations, we’re able to learn from each other, to support each other irrespective of the color of our skin. And, you know, we have a real brotherhood.
“We’ve had a lot of honest conversations with each other as a team, and I’d like to keep those things private between me and my teammates and just everything that’s been said. But, you know, I love these guys and going forward, I can’t wait for what more we have to grow, you know, the culture of this team, our brotherhood, and obviously we understand the biggest goal is to be the best team that we can be, to put ourselves in the best position to succeed, to chase a championship, to be the best players for Coach Harbs and all the coaches here. And, you know, that’s our focus going forward each and every day. And can’t wait to continue to do that.”
Whether that ends it remains to be seen. Others will surely be asked about the situation, including Carter.
There is an update on Giants receiver/returner Gunner Olszewski, who was carted off the field during Friday’s OTA practice.
New York fears Olszewski suffered a torn Achilles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Olszewski will undergo more tests to confirm the diagnosis. But often when a player suffers a torn Achilles, the initial fear is confirmed.
Olszewski, 29, joined the Giants midway through the 2023 season before missing all of 2024 due to injury.
He returned to play 16 games for New York last year, catching 10 passes for 145 yards while also averaging 9.0 yards on 24 punt returns and 26.2 yards on 26 kick returns.
In his 81 career games with five starts, Olszewski has recorded 25 receptions for 325 yards with two TDs.
