New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has officially burst onto the scene. Through three starts, the juice is all the way back in East Rutherford. The 22-year-old is becoming a cultural icon in real time, thanks to his electric play style. Not everyone is sold on the aura, which is a bummer… for them.
He’s already won over the fans, coaching staff, and teammates. But not everyone’s impressed with the rookie’s ascension or confidence. Just ask Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who’s set to face the G-Men in Week 7’s late afternoon matchup. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old is so perplexed by Dart’s vibe that he threw out some bulletin board material that could prove costly:
"He’s a young guy. He’s feelin’ himself a little bit. He’s out there running around. He’s got the chain on. He’s dancing. I feel like everybody needs something, you know."Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper
Not everyone’s going to get it. But this is a rookie who’s already taken down two playoff-caliber teams in the Chargers and Eagles — and looked damn good doing it. The mental pretzel Dart’s aura has Cooper tied up in could end up being Denver’s downfall.
Jaxson Dart’s swagger has Broncos defender already rattled ahead of Week 7
Maybe Cooper truly isn't impressed with Dart's hot start, but that feels like a personal choice to actively ignore what the former Ole Miss standout is doing in New York.
Through his first three starts, the Star Wars-loving signal-caller is already sharing history with Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes. That's elite company. So, maybe it's jealousy then? Perhaps he's looking over at the Giants' sideline with the vibes and wondering where second-year Broncos quarterback Bo Nix's aura is. You can't fault him — people want what they can't have all the time. The two are on different playing fields in the swagger department.
It brings me back to a common phrase: Hurt people, hurt people.
There seems to be some sort of linear relationship between the defender's lashing out and not getting what he wants. But I digress.
In all seriousness, it's easy to point at the chain and the touchdown celebrations from the outside looking in and roll your eyes at it. Like I said, it's not for everyone. However, he's been this type of way since his Ole Miss days. The swagger and attitude and the way he carries himself aren't new, and they're definitely not something he should change. It's what's gotten him here.
If everybody needs something — like Cooper said — maybe he needs to stop thinking about No. 6's vibes and more about how he'll stop him Sunday. The fifth-year veteran's mistake wasn’t the quote itself. It was letting a rookie quarterback live rent-free in his head. Why give a red-hot quarterback in the middle of a breakout any more fuel? That's the mental pretzel talking.
If you’re going to poke the aura, you'd better be ready to answer for it.