New York Giants star Abdul Carter is not a real man, according to former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason, who took issue with the second-year pass rusher’s decision to criticize teammate Jaxson Dart on social media.
Dart ignited controversy on Friday by introducing President Donald Trump at a Republican rally in Suffern, New York, which caught Carter by surprise.
‘Thought this s*** was AI , what we doing man,’ Carter wrote on X.
The 22-year-old edge rusher and the 23-year-old quarterback have since spoken privately to diffuse the simmering offseason controversy. But with New Yorkers returning to work following their Memorial Day weekend, Esiason unleashed on Carter during his WFAN morning radio show.
‘This was a real error on the part of Abdul Carter – not on the part of Jaxson Dart,’ said Esiason, the 65-year-old Long Island native best known for his years quarterbacking the Cincinnati Bengals.
‘Jaxson Dart was asked to do something, to introduce the President of the United States,’ Esiason continued. ‘How many people get an opportunity to do something like that? Regardless of who the President is.
Abdul Carter was picked third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but struggled some as a rookie
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart shakes hands with Trump at a rally in Suffern, New York
‘But to put this out, like a child, on social media is ridiculous. Then when I heard, “Oh we spoke man to man.” There was only one man on that call and it was Jaxson Dart.’
Both players were taken by the Giants in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but while Dart impressed after being taken 25th overall, Carter struggled to live up to the expectations that come with being the third-overall selection.
Along the way, Carter was accused of being late to team meetings, which resulted in him being benched at times as a rookie.
Esiason was quick to remember these infractions when attacking Carter on Tuesday.
‘You were a man who was late to meetings, you were a man who didn’t live up to your draft choice,’ Esiason said.
Esiason also recalled Carter’s request to wear No. 56 in New York – a jersey that is retired for Giants great and devoted Trump supporter, Lawrence Taylor.
‘You’re a man who wanted to wear No. 56,’ Esiason continued. ‘And by the way, your idol, No. 56, has introduced Trump numerous times. So, I don’t want to hear this.’
Boomer Esiason has been very critical of liberal athletes who make political statements
A long-time TV analyst and sports radio host, Esiason has frequently taken issue with liberal athletes for taking political stances. He specifically criticized former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to protest racist police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.
Dart’s decision to introduce Trump and Carter’s subsequent criticism not only divided current Giants, but former team members as well. Retired New York kicker Lawrence Tynes slammed Carter on X, only to get criticized by another Super Bowl winner in former left tackle Jumbo Elliott.
‘The locker room is a sacred place because it brings together everyone from all walks of life and beliefs for one common goal,’ Tynes wrote on X. ‘Calling a teammate out publicly for his political views and to get attention is nasty work.’
Elliott obviously disagreed.
‘[Dart] made it very public outside the ‘safe place,’ Elliott wrote on X. ‘And not for a neutral positive event.’
Although he’s been criticized for taking part in the event, Dart did not make any overtly political statement in introducing Trump.
A native Utahn who replaced Russell Wilson as the Giants’ starter last season, Dart first tried to get a chant of ‘Go Big Blue’ going before welcoming Trump on stage to speak in support of local Republican congressman, Mike Lawler.
‘I’m grateful, I’m honored, I’m pleasured to introduce the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump,’ Dart said to the excited crowd.
Abdul Carter blasted his quarterback Dart for welcoming Donald Trump at an event in New York
Carter later revealed he spoke to Dart privately after calling him out for cozying up to Trump
The President then walked onstage to the tune of Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’ before hugging Dart, whom he later called a ‘future Hall of Famer.’
Trump also said a few nice words about Dart’s physical appearance: ‘I’m looking at Jaxson… I’m looking at the legs there. He’s this beautiful guy. He’s got legs like tree trunks. This is not a good thing for women.’
The Queens native went winless in both New York and New Jersey over his three White House runs, so it wasn’t a big surprise to see Giants fans from both sides of the Hudson River upset with Dart.
‘Jaxson Dart just let the world know how much of an idiot he is!’ one critic wrote. ‘So stupid!’
‘Seeing a Giants player introduce Trump in New York feels like a bad joke,’ another added. ‘New Yorkers reject this kind of politics.’
One fan declared: ‘Jaxson didn’t make any friends in our blue city… with this MAGA a**-licking.’
Dart led the audience on a chant of ‘Go Big Blue!’ before introducing Trump on Friday
Several objected to Dart’s decision to introduce Trump, not because of the President’s politics, but because they wanted him to remain apolitical.
‘What. A. F***ing. Moron. God damn him,’ one angry fan wrote. ‘All my Dart rookie cards are going to go to zero in a week. Stay out of politics you jacka**.’
Others took issue directly with a President facing a 58-percent disapproval rating, according to the latest Daily Mail/J.L. Partners polling .
‘Yikes,’ one critic wrote, ‘Dart introduces racist trump.’
Of course, Trump’s MAGA supporters were thrilled to see Dart introducing him, regardless of their NFL allegiances.
Presidential appointee Nick Adams quickly anointed the Giants as ‘early favorites to win the NFC East with pro-Trump stud Jaxson Dart under center!’
‘Athletes finally using their platform for something real instead of scripted virtue signals,’ another supporter wrote on X. ‘Blue states are cracking, people want strength, not more decline. If this fires you up, show up and vote like your future depends on it. It does.’
