New York Giants Quarterback Jaxson Dart Draws Coach’s Wrath After Training Camp Incident

Quarterback Jaxson Dart‘s antics landed him in hot water with his head coach during New York Giants training camp.

The competitive spark flew during practice in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., when Dart — the former Ole Miss star and 2025 first-round NFL Draft — celebrated a touchdown by whipping the ball at cornerback Greg Newsome II‘s face mask, according to People, which published its report Wednesday, August 5.

“Just them competing,” tight end Isaiah Likely said of the moment between Dart and Newsome, per the report. “I mean, training camp, Day 2 of pads, getting tired, obviously in the red zone points are at stake. I mean, that’s the type of dog you want in a quarterback.”

Likely, who’s played alongside Newsome for years, added, “And obviously, Newsome, I’ve been playing with him for quite a while. I know he’s a dog himself. So he’s not going to back down on nobody.”

Coach John Harbaugh wasn’t amused, penalizing the play on the spot. “I think it’s a 15-yard penalty for taunting, so we backed up the extra point and had them do it again,” Harbaugh, 63, told reporters, the outlet reported.

The first-year Giants coach made his stance clear when pressed further on the incident. “I think he understands that for the game-winning extra point, we don’t want it to be a 50-yard extra point,” Harbaugh said, according to the outlet. “Do you think I need to say anything [to Dart] in that case? It’s pretty clear-cut.”

The flare-up tracks with the persona Dart, 23, has cultivated since taking over as the Giants’ starter last season, a rookie campaign that ended in a 4-13 record. Dart, who has likened his own game to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, has kept himself in headlines beyond the field too — introducing President Donald Trump at a rally over the offseason despite pushback from some teammates, and spending downtime with girlfriend and influencer Marissa Ayers, People reported.