Giants legend Eli Manning believes QB Jaxson Dart will 'adapt' to protect himself from future injuries
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and former Giants quarterback Eli Manning, inset. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Eli Manning never missed a game because of injury in 16 seasons as a quarterback for the Giants.
Jaxson Dart is expected to miss his first halfway through his rookie season when the Giants host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Does Manning think Dart can better protect himself from such absences moving forward?
“I think he can adapt,” Manning said on Wednesday before appearing on a panel at The Paley Museum in Manhattan with ESPN NFL reporters to discuss coverage of the league.
“Obviously, he’s learning that right now. It’s easy to say, ‘Hey, you can’t do something’ in the NFL. ‘You can’t run so much.’ Until you kind of figure it out and learn you can’t do that.
“It’s one thing being told, it’s another thing learning the hard way, unfortunately.”
Dart suffered a concussion in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Bears in Chicago after another in a series of jarring blows he has taken this season.
“This game is physical,” Manning said.
“These guys are big, and the hits are a little bit more severe.
“You never want to see a guy get a concussion, but hopefully he can learn from this, get back healthy, get back out there and just figure there’s times to slide and there’s times to get down. There are ways to avoid taking some of the big hits.”
Manning had a knack for avoiding big hits during his career, but he was far less vulnerable than Dart is.
“I didn’t run,” Manning said. “Most of his [hits] are on the run. They’re not in the pocket.”
Regarding the firing of Brian Daboll as coach on Monday, Manning said, “Disappointed. I feel for Daboll.
“He’s a great coach. I’ve gotten to know him these last four years.
“Football is a great game; it’s a brutal business. So this is part of it . . . But I know Daboll will pop back up.
“He’ll be coaching again somewhere. He’s a great coach, just unfortunately it didn’t work here with the Giants.”
Manning declined to offer suggestions on whom the Giants might hire next, but it will not be him.
“No, not a candidate,” he said, smiling. “No interest in coaching. Too hard.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
