Mike Francesa concerned Giants’ Jaxson Dart is already a ‘celebrity’ QB

Mike Francesa evoked the wise man who taught us to take the ziggy off the board when discussing Jaxson Dart’s recent off-field controversy.

“This is an old Bill Parcells adage that I learned a long time ago — he said, ‘I want a quarterback, I don’t want a celebrity quarterback,” the WFAN legend said on his BetRivers podcast when asked via listener email for his thoughts on the firestorm Dart caused when he introduced President Donald Trump at a rally.

“I want the quarterback to be thinking about my team and winning games and not thinking about all of the other things. I’d like to see Dart have more success on the field before he morphs into this role of celebrity quarterback. At events, walking the red carpet at the (Kentucky) Derby, introducing the president. This is a kid with a couple of games under his belt.”

The big guy makes a valid point. Yes, he looked like a potential franchise passer as a rookie. But the Giants were 4-8 in his 12 starts a head coach (Brian Daboll) was fired and Dart missed two games due to a concussion. The sample size remains small. First appearances can be deceiving — see Daniel Jones. And if Dart is as good as the Giants think?

“Dart will earn all those spoils,” Francesa said. “Earn them first. Earn them with your play on the field. Don’t put the cart before the horse. Don’t become a celebrity before you become a good quarterback. And you haven’t played enough games yet to become a good quarterback. Being a good quarterback means you’re successful in your team’s winning.

“Don’t be a celebrity. Be a quarterback first I’m worried about that with that Dart a little bit. I don’t know exactly what (coach John) Harbaugh has told him, but that would be the message I’d be telling him. Don’t be a celebrity quarterback. First let’s be a winning quarterback, and then you can become a celebrity quarterback.”