In late May, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart sparked controversy after he introduced United States President Donald Trump at a rally in New York.
The 23-year-old quarterback stood on stage with Trump at a rally in support of Republican Representative Mike Lawler. Trump then praised Dart during the rally, and in the following days, for his physique and other traits.
After Dart introduced Trump, his Giants teammate Abdul Carter posted a now-deleted X post saying, “Thought this s— was AI, what are we doing man.”
The two reportedly talked about the incident and are now “good,” but the discourse surrounding the two continued in the following days, as the media asked questions to the two, head coach John Harbaugh and others.
Carter released a statement saying he felt obligated to call out Dart, and said that Carter himself wanted to stand up for what he believes in. Dart also released a statement defending his actions and what he believes.
Dart’s situation isn’t a novelty, as politics has been intertwined with sports for decades. In the 1960s, boxing legend Muhammad Ali spoke out about poverty, racism and the Vietnam War. During the 1968 Summer Olympics, Czechoslovak gymnast Věra Čáslavská turned her head down while the Soviet national anthem was playing as a silent protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Athletes speaking up about political and social topics died down toward the end of the 20th century and into the 21st century. They wanted to protect their image and brand deals, which led some of the most famous people in the world to fall silent about their opinions. It’s a phenomenon that continues today.
One of the most famous political stances in sports was when National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench and kneeled during the U.S. national anthem, which he did to highlight racial injustice and police brutality against African Americans. After Kaepernick made the initial gesture in 2016, other players began to follow suit.
Athletes taking political stances once again ramped up in 2020, which became a very politically charged time with the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19 and the U.S. Presidential election.
Many fans believe that sports are completely separate from politics. They see their favorite athletes, teams, and leagues as a means of entertainment and a space where they can disconnect from political or social discourse. However, that view is not reality.
National Basketball Association player Jaylen Brown spoke out about this in mid-May in an episode of “State of the Game.”
“To me, the biggest misconception is that sports and politics don’t co-exist,” the Boston Celtics guard-forward said. “Sports is extremely political.”
Brown discussed how sponsors and the league create outside pressure on players, and that, at times, he feels like a “pawn” trying to take attention away from social and political topics.
The athletes on our televisions are people, too. They have opinions and social topics that are important to them. And as individuals with a platform, they have the right to use their popularity to speak out and spread awareness on whatever topics they want.
Speaking out on topics goes both ways, too. Even if one social or political stance is more popular than another, it doesn’t mean that the unpopular side isn’t allowed to speak out.
However, just because the athletes speak out doesn’t mean they’re immune from consequences. The decision to speak out may loom over the athlete and the organization they represent, which was the case for the New York Giants. The media will flood players with questions about their stance on a topic; they might be attacked on social media. But they have the power to speak about whatever topics they want.
Athletes have a platform that they can, and should, use.
