This topic isn't going away anytime soon. New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart loves to play his way, and that's respectable. The only problem is, at times, "his" way looks like a bull in a china shop -- reckless.
There is no more obvious evidence of his recklessness than Dart's inability or unwillingness to protect himself more often. In the Giants' Monday Night Football showdown with the New England Patriots, Dart had a first-half run that ended with him getting popped. He was knocked completely off his feet.
Following that run, every Giants fan had the same thought. Turns out, so did a former NFL coach who was watching.
Jon Gruden reposted a video of Dart getting drilled with the caption:
"Please get out of bounds."
Jon Gruden said the quiet part out loud about Jaxson Dart's unwillingness to protect himself
That's pretty much what every other Giants fan was thinking as the play unfolded, so in terms of accuracy? 100 percent. Nailed it, Jon.
Now, the hilarious part of this is if you think about what Gruden was really thinking. His words were quite tame by comparison, I'm sure. But, that's a story for a different day.
The real topic at hand is the fact that even after the game, Dart opted to double down. He responded to reporters' questions about the hit, and about his style of play, by telling everyone that this is how he's played his whole career.
Dart also used the snarky remark, "this isn't soccer," which surely sent all the right vibes through Big Blue Nation.
Now, this is not an anti-Dart post. In fact, I'm a huge fan. Dart's competitive spirit and dual-threat skill set is a blast to watch. He truly could be the Giants' quarterback of the future. There's no doubt he has a lot of the necessary qualities, including traits you cannot teach.
But, the one thing he needs to be taught is currently something he not only knows about, but refuses to act on. That's the troubling aspect of this entire situation.
Dart clearly knows he plays a dangerous, hard-hitting sport, as evidenced by those postgame remarks. The deeper-rooted issue is, however, what could happen down the road. This isn't just about his life in the NFL and what he does on the field.
This is about his future; the next several decades of life that will be impacted by his choices right here and now.
I think I speak for the majority of Giants fans when I say, let's all hope he does a better job protecting himself sooner rather than later.