‘Oh My Jesus, Get Him Out There!’ — Former NFL MVP Baffled By Backlash Around Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s Concussion Scare

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has already become a familiar presence around the blue medical tent early in his NFL career. However, his latest visit during the Giants’ preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings sparked criticism from Craig Carton, who questioned why Dart was allowed to return to the game after taking a hard hit.

Former NFL star Boomer Esiason paid attention to all the talk, but pushed back against Carton’s reaction and offered a different perspective on Dart’s latest medical evaluation.

During the Giants’ preseason matchup against the Vikings, Dart briefly entered the blue medical tent after absorbing a hard hit. Though the quarterback completed the necessary evaluations and was cleared to return, Carton still expressed strong frustration with head coach John Harbaugh for allowing Dart back onto the field.

Esiason later addressed the situation and Dart’s latest medical evaluation during an appearance on WFAN Sports Radio. He explained that there was nothing unusual about Dart wanting to return after taking the hit, particularly because quarterbacks naturally want to prove they can continue playing for their teammates.

“One of the reasons why Jaxson Dart wanted to go out there to get the wind knocked out of him was because he didn’t want to end like this,” Esiason said. “No quarterback wants to end like this. Get me back on the field. Let me show my team that I’m tough and I can go out there and do it.”

Dart himself appeared somewhat surprised by how frequently he has been sent for medical evaluations. After his latest trip to the blue tent, the young quarterback admitted that he was “puzzled” by how often the evaluations have occurred.

START PREPARING:PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator

Esiason, the former NFL MVP, then mocked Carton’s highly concerned reaction, stating that Dart should be allowed to play as long as he has been properly evaluated and cleared.

“Oh my Jesus, get him out there! He’s got to play,” he continued. “He always talks about being a man. Yes, we’re men around here. Well, you know they’re men over there too.

“They get paid a lot of money, and the guy’s in a new offense. So he takes a hit. That’s what he’s supposed to be doing.”

BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator

Dart’s latest evaluation came after he remained on the ground for several seconds following the final play of the first quarter on Saturday. Harbaugh did not dismiss the situation and subsequently sent Dart into the medical tent for further examination.

Managing contact will remain an important issue for Dart moving forward, particularly because he was sent for medical evaluations five times during his rookie season.

The quarterback also suffered a concussion during a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears and subsequently missed two games.

Despite those setbacks, Dart appeared in 14 games during his rookie season and finished with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes, and five interceptions. His overall performance earned him a 73.4 grade in PFN’s QB Impact Ranking, placing him at No. 23.

Now entering his second NFL season as a first-round franchise quarterback, Dart’s availability will be closely tied to the Giants’ hopes for success.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.