Jaxson Dart didn’t shy away from the physical reality of Giants-Patriots matchup, even after taking several punishing shots in a 33–15 loss. With Dart finishing the day with 139 yards and one touchdown, the rookie quarterback was again asked about the number of hits he’s absorbing. His response made it clear he’s neither surprised nor bothered by the contact.
“I understand the question, but this is football,” Dart said. “I’m going to get hit if I’m in the pocket or outside the pocket. I’ve played this way my whole entire life. It shouldn’t be any shocker to anybody… We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit, things happen. It’s just part of the game.”
Dart’s aggressiveness has been a defining trait in his first NFL season, where he’s totaled 1,556 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. And while the Giants continue to stumble, he emphasized that the physical style that helped him succeed in college isn’t something he plans to tone down any time soon.
Patriots defend the hit that sparked debate
One of the toughest blows Dart absorbed came from Patriots LB Christian Ellis, who insisted the play looked more dangerous than it actually was. “I thought he was just going to go out of bounds, but then I saw him tiptoeing,” Ellis said. “So I was like, ‘Stay in bounds. What am I supposed to do?’ We play hard on defense… I was just doing my job and hit anything in the whites.”
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel backed Ellis, adding that quarterbacks around the league, including his own, are warned weekly about flirting with the sideline. “That’s a weekly reminder to the quarterback — our quarterback,” Vrabel said. “I wouldn’t get too cute over there by the sidelines. It happens every week. Christian’s playing through the whistle, and as long as the player’s in bounds, he’s gonna try to hit him legally.”
Despite the collision and the mounting losses, Dart maintained his composure in the postgame presser. “It’s not fun losing. It’s not fun with this losing streak,” Dart said. “It doesn’t look super-bright from the outside, but we have each other’s backs… I’m hoping that we can continue to build and find any way that we can to just find a little bit of momentum.”