In the New York Giants’ first preseason game, Jaxson Dart was sent to the medical blue tent after taking a hard sack from Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward. Tyrone Tracy Jr. revealed that there was a communication error on the play and promised it would not happen again.
“I heard something that made me have my eyes on the wrong side,” the running back said, via Newsday. “That was really it. I have to get my eyes right and block the guy. I did it two plays earlier. But on that play I heard an alert to the other side, so I had my eyes to the left instead of the right.”
From now on, it will be up to Tracy Jr. to be more attentive and avoid these types of mistakes, which could put his QB’s health at risk. “There isn’t really anything I can do at that point besides apologize and tell him it isn’t going to happen again, which it won’t. I don’t have many of those on my film pass-blocking-wise. It ain’t going to happen again.”
Jaxson Dart’s history of hits
During his rookie season, Jaxson Dart was evaluated in the blue medical tent for potential concussions a total of five times due to his physical, high-contact play style. However, he was officially diagnosed with a concussion only once, which occurred following a hit in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears.
Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants
That official diagnosis forced him into the league’s multi-step concussion protocol, causing him to miss two games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions before clearing protocol and returning to the starting lineup for Week 13.
A key protection for the Giants
During the 2026 NFL season, keeping Jaxson Dart healthy in the pocket relies heavily on a revamped and physical New York Giants offensive line. Anchored by veteran left tackle Andrew Thomas, who guards Dart’s blind side, the unit also features left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and center John Michael Schmitz Jr. maintaining a clean interior pocket.
On the right edge, veteran tackle Jermaine Eluemunor delivers steady pass protection, while the guard position remains focused on walling off interior pass rushers. Together, this core serves as the primary line of defense, aiming to drastically reduce the heavy hits Dart absorbs and ensure he stays healthy on the field.
The importance of running back blocking
Beyond the offensive line, pass protection from the backfield is vital to keeping Dart upright and out of harm’s way. Physical, hard-hitting running backs like Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo provide the Giants with an essential secondary wall against blitzing linebackers and free rushers.
Skattebo’s high-energy, bowling-ball style allows him to step up into the A-gap and absorb heavy interior collisions, while Tracy’s combination of size and athletic transformation from receiver gives him the versatility to read blitz packages and pick up edge rushers.
