It turns out David Tyree is okay with using his head to win Super Bowls, but he draws the line at someone else losing theirs trying to win meaningless games in December. Or something of that nature.
Tyree didn't exactly have a long or overly productive career with the New York Giants, but his helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots will go down as the most iconic play in team history -- and maybe even league history. It cemented his status as a Giants legend, and for that, he's earned enough goodwill to be taken seriously when he speaks on the team.
Related: Absurd ESPN debate confirms what Giants fans already know about Jaxson Dart
That being said, we don't always have to agree with what he says... we can sometimes just listen. Case in point, the 45-year-old recently appeared on the NY Post's "Blue Rush" podcast, where he addressed Jaxson Dart's injury concerns, even going as far as suggesting the team shut him down for the rest of the season.
The can of worms has been officially opened.
Jaxson Dart’s injury risk has David Tyree calling for caution
Instead of focusing directly on Dart and his injury history, Tyree spent most of his time selling fans on the Jameis Winston experience. The backup quarterback filled in for the rookie for two games while he recovered from a concussion suffered in Week 10.
Since returning in Week 13, Dart’s been thrown right back in the fire. He took a brutal shot from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss, then landed in the blue medical tent again the following game -- another concussion scare that makes fans wonder if he’s thinking big picture at all. And he is clearly the guy moving forward.
Which is probably why Tyree said:
"So sit Jaxson Dart’s behind down, so he can be the future of the franchise.”
Winston was electric in his two starts while Dart was out, even if both games ended in losses. He threw for 567 yards, two touchdowns, and somehow caught his first career pass: a 33-yard touchdown on one of the craziest plays of the season.
Even still, there’s no experience like... experience. Dart’s only going to get better by actually being out on the field. Bubble-wrapping him keeps him from getting hurt, but it also keeps him from developing. The Giants can’t be scared to play him. If they treat him like he’s made of glass, they’ll never find out what he’s really made of.
Two things can be true: Dart has been too loosey goosey with the hits, and the Giants need to take better care of their QB. They're not mutually exclusive. However, the answer can't be to shut him down because the rest of the season is meaningless.