For any defender looking to take a shot at New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, just know his teammates aren't afraid to throw hands in his defense -- and literally pay the price for it.
In Big Blue’s Week 13 disaster-class against the New England Patriots, Dart took a massive hit from Pats linebacker Christian Elliss while he was running out of bounds. The hit was technically legal -- Dart was still in bounds -- but it didn’t sit right with his teammates, who immediately found Elliss on the sideline to let him know.
Tight end Theo Johnson was the first one there, sprinting over and sparking a shoving match. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound behemoth didn’t hesitate to stick up for his quarterback. And according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, it cost him a cool $6,488 fine for unnecessary roughness.
The fine is what it is. But the message it sent matters way more. Even in the middle of a miserable season, it’s obvious Dart is the guy. And that kind of loyalty from the locker room should fire up every Giants fan watching.
Theo Johnson sends message with $6,488 fine after protecting Jaxson Dart
It might be nothing more than a throwaway moment in a throwaway season, but it says a lot. Dart’s teammates have his back. That’s the kind of culture shift and quarterback worth fighting for, the Giants have been starving for, for years.
The quarterback part of that is notable. This team is about to enter arguably its most crucial offseason in years. They've seemingly been fine with throwing whoever out there under center in the hopes the rest of it works out. But as fans have frustratingly grown too accustomed to, that plan doesn't work.
Aside from reactionary protection for the 2025 25th overall pick, the former Ole Miss standout needs to be a bit more proactive and intentional in making sure he avoids unnecessary hits. Elliss even commented after the game, saying the hit should send a pretty clear message to Dart: Make sure to slide.
And he's right on the money, even if it was more tongue-in-cheek than constructive criticism.
That’s the next step for the rookie. Knowing when to take the risk for extra yards, and when to protect himself and slide. Dart has the tools -- he just needs to sharpen the instincts.
The Patriots game was the rookie phenom's first game after coming back from a concussion suffered in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears that knocked him out for two games. If he wants a long, successful career in the NFL, he'll need to choose his battles a bit more carefully.
Still, it’s awesome to see real fight from a team that looked like it had absolutely none left. If his teammates keep backing him like this, maybe the Giants finally have something worth building around.