Michael Kay says Giants star must ‘suffer the consequence’ of public Trump endorsement
· Yahoo Sports
When New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart showed up at a Donald Trump rally in New Jersey, he exercised a right that every American has. And when defensive end Abdul Carter pushed back publicly on social media, he exercised that same right.
So why is only one of them taking heat for it?
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That was the central question on the latest episode of “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York, where the Yankees announcer tackled the Dart controversy head-on.
Dart introduced the president at a rally, started a “Go Big Blue” chant in the process, and did all of it without notifying the Giants organization.
Carter, one of the team’s most prominent young defensive players, responded publicly on X — making his own views on the matter equally visible.
The internet picked sides immediately. But Kay refused to.
“You could do stuff behind the scenes if you like a candidate. You could donate money... But instead, he tried to be front-facing about it. So then you have to suffer the consequence because what you’re doing is that you’re endorsing and appearing at a rally for one of the most polarizing political figures in the entire 250-year history of the United States,” Kay said in a video posted on YouTube.
Kay directed his criticism at those piling onto Carter for responding publicly — and asked a pointed question: if Dart’s public endorsement is his right, why isn’t Carter’s public response equally valid?
“He’s a grown man. He could say whatever he wants. He could support whoever he wants and let the chips fall where they may. And I, unlike others, don’t have a problem with what Abdul Carter said because it was public what Jaxson Dart did and then Abdul Carter made it public as well,” Kay said.
Kay also drew a compelling comparison — asking the audience whether they know which way Eli Manning leans politically.
The answer, almost certainly, is no. And that’s almost certainly by design.
When you’re a franchise quarterback, your job includes being a leader across an entire roster of people with vastly different backgrounds, beliefs, and worldviews. Choosing to go public with a strong political endorsement doesn’t disqualify you from that role — but it does add a complication that your coaching staff now has to manage.
Whether you think Dart crossed a line, Carter overreacted, or both players simply made personal choices and are dealing with the fallout, the controversy is unlikely to fade quickly.
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