EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart addressed teammates Wednesday during a team meeting to discuss his introduction of President Donald Trump at an event last week in New York, sources told ESPN and NFL Network.
Giants leaders such as Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jameis Winston were among those that spoke, sources said.
The Giants returned to work Wednesday following the holiday weekend for organized team activities. They practice Wednesday through Friday this week.
Sources said that among the topics discussed were keeping things "internal" and not airing frustrations publicly. Giants second-year outside linebacker Abdul Carter went to X over the weekend after seeing video of Dart introduce Trump at an event for New York Rep. Mike Lawler about 35 miles northwest of New York City.
"Thought this s--- was AI, what we doing man," Carter wrote on X.
After the post sparked considerable reaction, Carter followed up later in the day.
"Me and JD6 are good! We spoke earlier as Men," Carter wrote on X. "Yall can keep yall narratives."
Several players, including offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, insisted the locker room was fine. Many Giants players were in the team facility earlier this week before the team took the field for a practice.
Dart, 23, was a first-round pick by the Giants last year out of Ole Miss. He became the starting quarterback in Week 4 and threw 15 touchdown passes and five interceptions as a rookie. He also had nine rushing touchdowns, which was the second most in the modern era for a rookie quarterback.
The Giants view Dart as their franchise quarterback and are currently building an offense around him under new coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. He is viewed as a building block for their future.
The second-year quarterback was approached recently about meeting the president during a trip to New York, sources told ESPN. Dart introduced him Friday at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York.
"Look, Big Blue Nation, it's a pleasure to be here. I've got to start this off with a 'Go Big Blue.' I'd love if you all would follow with me," Dart said before leading the crowd in a chant.
"What an honor, what a privilege it is to be here. And without further ado, I'm grateful, I'm honored, I'm pleasured to introduce the 45th and 47th president of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump."
This is the second time that Trump and the Giants have crossed paths this year. The president also advocated on Truth Social in January for the Giants to hire Harbaugh as their head coach. He noted that Harbaugh and his brother Jim were "winners."
Harbaugh was aware of the endorsement.
"It feels really great, and I'll tell you, I also noticed on that post that he said, and John, take the job. So, I thought that John Mara might have had something to do with it, I don't know. But it's cool, and it's sports. It's sports," Harbaugh said at his introductory news conference. "Everybody is excited. Everybody follows it. At every level, people follow football, they follow the Giants, they follow the National Football League. Like we said, it's the biggest sport. This is the most iconic franchise in the biggest sport, so here we are."