Craig Carton believes Jaxson Dart needs to learn one of the hardest lessons that comes with being the New York Giants quarterback: not every invitation deserves a yes.
Dart became one of the biggest NFL talking points of the week after introducing Donald Trump at a rally in New York , where the young quarterback led a "Go Big Blue" chant before bringing the president to the stage.
For Carton, the issue is not only political. It is about a young quarterback acting like a fully established superstar before he has built enough on-field equity to survive the backlash if things go wrong.
Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images
WFAN Sports Radio shared Craig Carton's warning after Jaxson Dart introduced Donald Trump at a New York event.
Carton said, "Jaxson Dart is going to have to learn how to say no at some point. Because he is living the life of some guy that's already accomplished a lot in the NFL."
The criticism came after Dart appeared at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, where he introduced Trump and energized the crowd with Giants-themed chants.
Trump later praised Dart during the event, calling him a "future Hall of Famer" and complimenting his physical build, which helped push the clip beyond football circles and into a wider political debate.
Carton's point was that Dart is now discovering the celebrity layer that comes with being a Giants quarterback, but he has not yet built the resume that protects stars when off-field attention becomes a distraction.
Carton's strongest warning was about what happens if the Giants stumble early and Dart's political appearance becomes part of the noise around him.
"I'm telling you, that is great, while it's great. But if you come out of the gate 1-3 and you got seven picks and two touchdowns, it's going to backfire on you, and the fans will turn on you," Carton added.
Dart is entering his second NFL season after taking over as the Giants' starter as a rookie, and the pressure around him is already heavy in one of the league's loudest markets.
Dart showed promise in 2025, throwing for 2,272 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 487 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, but his 4-8 record as a starter still leaves plenty for him to prove.
The rally appearance does not matter much if Dart wins games, protects the football, and leads the Giants back into relevance.
If he struggles, Carton believes fans will remember the optics of a young quarterback enjoying the spotlight before delivering the results that make that spotlight feel earned.
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