Jaxson Dart went to the blue tent five times during his rookie season. This season once again, Dart was sent to the blue tent during the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
Dart was looking to his far left and didn’t see Vikings safety Jay Ward come through to sack him. Dart was hit hard, and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. was caught off guard in the buildup. Dart felt like he had the wind knocked out of him but was good enough to continue. To his dismay, he was sent to the blue tent once again.
“As far as the blue tent, I really respect the rules and the thought the NFL has of keeping players healthy and reviewing things,” said Dart in the post-game press conference. “But at the same time, I’m still puzzled by it, just feeling like every time that I get hit, I find my way in there, which at times I still try to wrap my head around.”
Dart’s reaction has drawn various reactions, and one man is really frustrated by the choice of words of the Giants quarterback, former NFL MVP Cam Newton. On his show 4th&1 with Cam Newton, the former Panthers quarterback went ballistic on Dart’s choice of words.
“Why are you still looking around trying to find other people’s puzzles?” said Newton. “I’m puzzled that an organization is not taking your health seriously. Puzzle. Every time you find a way to get hit, it ain’t just a soft hit; it’s a puzzling hit. Golly, when are we gonna start taking this person seriously on the field and off the field? Puzzled. I am puzzled that an organization has not protected this man collectively on the field and off the field.”
Newton laid out very simply that Dart has taken too many hits in 2025, and the NFL wasn’t going to risk any negative publicity on the off chance that something would happen to the 23-year-old if he isn’t checked up after massive hits.
In his rookie season last year, he was diagnosed with a concussion that forced him to miss two games.
For Newton, it’s clear nobody is addressing the main issue, which is the protection of the quarterback who is already seen as a franchise player, albeit just entering his second year. Newton wants those at the Giants to take accountability and worry about Dart’s health; he wants players to ensure that Dart isn’t sacked.
Coach John Harbaugh was asked about what he was feeling when Dart was sacked in the second quarter of the preseason opener.
“My feeling in that moment was we need to block better,” said Harbaugh to the press after the Giants’ 13-10 loss to the Vikings.
Though Dart continued the game against the Vikings, he was rested for the second game against the Miami Dolphins. While the reason cited was the extensive work he put in during joint practice, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to assume that it was a more precautionary move.
“It is of the utmost importance that everybody starts saying, ‘Hey, this is our franchise player. We need to put a bubble of protection. Saran wrap this individual from any type of conflict, not just on the field but off the field,” said Newton.
The off-the-field issues that Newton is talking about here are from earlier in the offseason. However, the team and the players on the roster seem to have moved on from that incident, and appear to be focused on the regular season.
Meanwhile, it is clear that the number of trips he’s already made to the blue tent will ensure that Dart will end up there when he takes a hit next, but what Giants fans will hope for is that coach John Harbaugh can find a way to make sure his quarterback is better protected.