"I just think I’m just leaner, and our strength staff has done an amazing job," the New York Giants QB told reporters as he prepares for his second NFL season
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NEED TO KNOW
- Jaxson Dart opened up about his new, muscular physique when speaking with reporters on Thursday, May 21
- The New York Giants quarterback avoided comparisons to retired NFL star Tim Tebow
- He opened up about his training regimen and nutrition plan as he prepares for his second season in the league
Jaxson Dart has been putting in the work.
The New York Giants quarterback, 23, told reporters on Thursday, May 21 about how he's been adding muscle in the offseason as he prepares for his second year in the NFL following his standout rookie season — but also got in a dig at Tim Tebow.
"I'm not like Tim Tebow. I'm not like that," quipped Dart of Tebow, who infamously added close to 10 lbs. one offseason, bulking up to 249 lbs., when he moved from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets in 2012.
Dart brushed off questions from the media about whether there's concern from the Giants that he's adding too much weight to his frame after he looked noticeably bulkier when he hit the field for the first week of organized team activities.
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"I just think I'm just leaner, and our strength staff has done an amazing job," he told reporters. "When you just get into the league, there's a little bit more resources that you have when it comes to a nutrition standpoint, building out a plan."
The NFL star added, "Had a really good offseason, and I was happy to make it through this past season healthy."
Dart avoided any limb injuries during his rookie season, but he did deal with concussions. He was officially diagnosed with one in Week 10, which caused him to miss two games. But he was also evaluated for a concussion on the field or in the blue medical tent five times over his first 10 games.
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The quarterback drew criticism from fans who believed he was taking unnecessary risks on the field, even more so as he recovered from his concussion in November. He pushed back on the concern a month later.
"This is football. I'm going to get hit if I'm in the pocket or outside the pocket. I played this way my whole entire life. This shouldn't be like any shocker to anybody if you've followed along with my career," he told reporters after the Giants lost to the Patriots in a post-game press conference.
"We're not playing soccer out here," Dart added. "You're going to get hit. Things happen. It's just part of the game."
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Dart was asked a follow-up question in a locker room media scrum the day after the press conference about the "fine line" when deciding between "taking care of yourself" and "getting that extra yard."
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In his response, Dart said that he isn't the only quarterback who takes hits, and name-dropped a few top players in the league.
"There's a time and place for things," he said. "I watch quarterbacks who play kind of like me around the league. I watched how Josh Allen plays, I watched how Patrick Mahomes plays. They take hits, too, so I'm not an anomaly here."
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