Stephen A. thinks Jaxson Dart must be ‘BETTER THAN AVERAGE’ for the Giants | First Take

Your boy is in the house, but I'm not hosting. I'm not hosting. We've got somebody else hosting. He's a rookie. He's a rookie here, okay? So if there's some pressure on him,

I'll try to make it light for my man Pete Schrager. All right, now, he got loudmouthed himself. Mr. Attitude. Doggy, doggy, dog in the house, okay? You know, that's what I'm talking about. And my man Swagoo. He's my buddy. My man Swagoo, he's my buddy. So then you know how dog is.

I could say, how let your boy, but that's not good enough. We got doggies in the house. So you know what we're going to do?

Let's go!

Yes! Yes!

Yes!

Let's roll. First take. I'm Host and I cannot wait to be here for the next two hours. What a crew. Yes. We're starting in New York. Let's kick things off right here in the Big Apple. The headline yesterday, as you saw, Adam Schefter reported, New York is benching Russell Wilson in just week four of the NFL season. They're handing the ball over to their first-round pick, Mr. Jackson Dart. It'll be the first start of Dart's career, and it'll come against the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers. The windless Giants are hoping the move will spark something

after Russ struggled mightily against the Chiefs this past weekend. Stephen A.

Yes.

What does Jackson Dart have to do to save Brian Dable's job?

Well, first of all, he has to look better than average. He has to look impressive. the kind of look that he gives off fellas that gives an indication that he's being developed. You understand that you where you can look at him and his skill set and say, okay, Brian Dable is having a positive impact on them. Of course, you have to see the team collectively feed off of his energy, his adrenaline, and that from the giant faithful out there where your defense shows up and be a bit respectable. But most importantly than that, you've got a stud in Malik neighbor. You've got another one. You just got Wanda.

Robinson can ball to the combination of those two. If they're really excelling and they're raving about their quarterback and they're thriving, then those things could lead towards table being saved. It's a lot to ask. It's a lot to expect, but it is possible it can happen if you got a quarterback that goes out there that's saying, listen,

it wasn't about the coach. It was about who was playing quarterback. I'm here now. So you don't have much to worry about.

Yeah, I'd be a little worried if I'm Dabell because Jones has played well in Indianapolis, which obviously also doesn't look good. But I believe in D'Abo. I still think he's a good coach. Wilson was terrible in games one and three. Right in the middle there against Dallas. That might be more about the Dallas defense than it might be about Wilson. So, I mean, I think that this is a move

he probably had to make. Now, he had two paths to keep his job with the owner this year. His first path was to have a very good season with Wilson, win nine games and be on the periphery of the playoffs. Well, that path is now closed. So the second path was to play the kid and have the kid

really show that he's going to be a big time player. And then we can give Dabo a little, little props for making him, you know, training camp and seeing development that he's the right mentor for him. So now he's on path number two and for Dable's future, and I like him and I like to see him stay, this is imperative that Dart

plays well. And everybody says he had a great training camp. He did play well in the three or four games that he played, three games he played. So I'm relatively optimistic, but this is important for Dable that Dart plays good football.

I agree, Matt Dahl. They need competency? Like when you have a young quarterback starting for the

efficiency.

and potentially change some things if solid in a lot of areas. I like this team. They got to get a little bit better in the secondary, obviously, but this defensive front, one of the best defensive fronts in the

league.

When you talk about individuals, this offensive line is going to be better, especially with Andrew Thomas coming back. Jackson Dart to me has to show competency. I hearken back to when JJ McCarthy played his first game under Kevin O'Connell. I thought that pressure was significant because Kevin

O'Connell had proven that I can get quarterbacks that were cast away to win 14 games in Minnesota. Right? Brian Daybowl doesn't have that issue. He has to have that particular position. Look well as the game goes along. Now, you we will you in New York, you in New York. Y'all both got radio shows. If this kid plays. Well, y'all know

what's going to happen. Y'all know what's going to transpire. It puts more pressure on the brand. A bowl. If Jackson, dark comes out here and look at what else you got around because what else you got around it, right? So the team in itself, Jackson, dark, more importantly, has to show competency. And if he by some chance goes out there and looks like some of these rookies, we've seen Jane Daniels or he looks like Burrow. Look, or if he looks any remotely close to

that, they have more pressure. Joe Shane and Brian Daybow has more more pressure. So what I'm trying to say is we can be all excited about Brian Daybow's job and Joe Shane's job. There is going to be an enormous amount of pressure if this kid is good. Not if he bad cuz they gonna get fired

anyway. I'll add that you know 31st in defense with that front four right now. Uh red zone Russell Russell Russell Wilson, I think, is four for 20 in the red zone as far as passing attempts. That building Sunday night on national television, covered in red, booze out there for Russell.

Like, that is what hits the Meyer family.

Well, I will tell you this. Well, first of all, a lot should hit the Meyer family because the Giants have been atrocious. Yeah. Okay. Since 2011, they've been arguably the worst team in football. Seriously, just look it up.

I remember one time a couple of years ago, there was a debate about them or Jacksonville being the worst. And we were reminded that Jacksonville was in an AFC championship game. And we're only 17. The New York Giants have been to the playoffs twice since 2011. They've had a winning record three times in 14 years. They have been an atrocity. And when you take into consideration that this was a what they were once in a conversation

to be a gold standard of the National Football League, how in God's name has that drop off occurred? That's an argument, that's a discussion for the mobers, the titions of the world. They gotta explain that one day. Some day, they gotta explain. Where the hell did things go wrong? Because it was never supposed to be this bad. Here's what I would tell you, though. As we heard those boos,

this is where Brian Dable hurts himself. There's nothing wrong with you pulling Russell Wilson from that game Sunday night. Nope. Nope. Like, like, like, like, like, it happens all the time. It doesn't matter, even if it's just starting quarterback and you're gonna throw him out there another week, it just ain't your night. It's a bad night.

For him to leave Russell Wilson in this show, you weren't thinking about just football. It was something else going on with your mind because that's an easy call to make. You could have yanked him out, okay, and then said, okay, we could come back to him next week

because it is against the charges. It's not against New Orleans. The week after you could have done that. He did not do that. And so that just shows this stuff on his mind and this political decisions being made as opposed to just football decisions. But as I think about this, right? Like you bring up a great point about Brian day Bowl and should have pulled right Russell Wilson. The the the

the hell you get from fans in sports, and we've been doing this long enough. Yeah, it's when you're prolonging the inevitable, correct? And it's not going well. See two weeks ago, when Russell Wilson was Dyson up Dallas defense. You had an opportunity to just say, okay, we got our starter. He's a veteran.

We are going to sit idle and until it falls apart and Jackson Darden has to come into the game because the inevitable was going to happen. Anyway, last week, Brian day, bold sped up his firing process in my opinion. Now, all of the onus lies on this kid starting the first

snap of the game playing against a really good football team and not having an idea of what a NFL football game feels like when you step out on the field for the first time against a real, legitimate Super Bowl contender in the Chargers. Last week, if you put him in the game

when Russ is struggling, one, you got a chance to reignite the football team, because we got Malik Nabors back pissed off. You're definitely going to reignite the fans. The fan base. So now you come into this week saying we saw the kid do some good things.

The only time they were cheering last week was when he came in that spot duty. That's he had to play Wilson last week off that Dallas game.

100% but we're talking about that. Yeah, yeah. When you when've spent three and a half quarters showing you can do absolutely nothing,

you can do that.

Didn't I just explain to this man that people get mad about prolonging the inevitable? Well, no, who gets madder than him?

The Eagles, Patriots, and Chiefs are the only team that has won more than one Super Bowl

in the last 15 years. I understand. Giants have won two. What, what?

Under Mara.

In the last 15 years?

They beat the Patriots.

They won in 08 and they won in 12.

Well that's not 15.

You wanna make a big, you wanna call me a liar?

17!

I have to remove myself from this conversation.

17!

17! Yeah, yeah. My team is. I'm not talking about... No, no, no, no. I don't... I am being fair, okay? And here's the reason why. I didn't say that they haven't won a Super Bowl since 2011. I said they've been awful since 2011. You have...

But you got on the ownership. What I'm saying to you is, three winning seasons in 14 years?

Oh, I know. I can't defend it.

You have two playoff appearances. You either have that consistency with no Super Bowls or two Super Bowls without the... Well, I will say this to you. I will say this to you. Here's what's not fair about your question. Of course you want the championships if it's that finite. The point is, you're never anticipating

that if you're good enough to win a Super Bowl or two over the last 17 years, that you would have that precipitous drop-off. In other words, what happened to you? Did you get arrogant? Did you get complacent? How about letting go of Tom Coughlin?

It looks pretty bad right now. I mean, these are the kind of things, you know, you caved in to the pressure because you're five minutes early, that means you're late. And he was strict and all of this stuff.

You remember how he walked up that stage? I know we got to move on, but the reality was it was time to find a succession plan to Eli. Okay. You've been waffling in some dark places because of that as well, just like the Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh, absolutely.

Absolutely.

They drafted Jones. The Jones contract also killed him.

It was only two years. It was guaranteed.

They were able to bail after the two years. I know everybody wants to tell them about that. Are you, are you, are you soft hearted right now? Yes, I am. I want to be nice to them.

Happy dog.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Why do you want to, hold on, hold on. Why do you want to be nice to the Giants ownership tomorrow? Why? Tell us why. You can be nice and critique. I'm asking the question. It's lipstick. Don't think. Don't think. Answer it.

Answer it right now.

I'm gonna give you an answer. Can I give you an answer?

Go ahead.

It's a long one. 1993. Mike and I were at the All-Star Game in Baltimore.

Mike and the Mad Dog.

Hampton Yards.

Mike Vincenzo.

That afternoon, we went to the Babe Ruth Museum. That afternoon, we made fun of Ruth with his proclivity off the field.

Yes.

Who wrote us a letter saying that we were better than that? What are you doing?

Wellington Marrow.

So he wrote you a letter.

Personal.

He wrote you a personal letter critiquing you and chastising you for mocking Babe Ruth. And that just touched your heart. Is that what you're saying? Is that what you're saying?

I'll give you one more.

December of, no, January 15th, 16th of 2001. Okay. Who called me up after they beat the Vikings to get to the Super Bowl. Not to say, look at us, to say, congratulations on the birth of your new daughter.

Wow. Wellington.

Okay. Okay.

Raise your hands. Listen, listen, listen. Class.

There you go. Take two, take two, take two, take two. Just so in other words, so in other words. Alone with the 90 other people. I want to, this national news, love this, so in other words a hall of fame radio host, not at the time, spanning, I know, spanning four decades, right, okay, right, known for being mad dog, mad about everything,

you understand, all of a sudden his heart, yeah, his heart is softened. His heart is softened because it was touched by the owner. Because a couple of letters, a couple of letters. He got a phone call. A phone call. A letter and a phone call.

I know how it is to bring a new daughter, a new child into the family. Congratulations. They win 41-0 over Minnesota. Joe Jaravich is scoring touchdowns.

Well, we know now we know now Don't bring them up ladies and gentlemen, all you got to do is write a letter We're gonna send it to Mad Dog radio said it to Mad Dog Bruce. So I mean you don't have to worry about him anymore You know, you just write a nice letter Sprinkle it with flowers Did I not snuff it out? Did I not snuff it out there, though?

I just saw your emotion coming.

Or on Babe Ruth's proclivity after this. Russell Wilson. All right, back to Russell. His career has obviously not been the same since he left Seattle. With the Seahawks, Russ was cooking, obviously. Double-digit games of wins in eight of his ten seasons,

including two different trips to the Super Bowl in the first three years of his career. But since his departure from Seattle, Russ has won less than 40% of his starts while seeing a sharp decline in all of his statistics. Mad Dog, looking at the totality of Russ's career,

Seattle and onwards, do you see him in Canton as a Hall of Famer?

You know, he was borderline to begin with. The pass kills him too. That pass in the Super Bowl against Seattle. Now that kills Pete Carroll. He's not getting – you cannot get to the Super Bowl – you cannot get to the Hall of Fame when you throw the ball

with Lynch in the backfield at the one yard line. Pete Carroll is going to get. But still be fast. And I know I was very bad. One and one is your ball.

That kind of loss.

That was bad. So because of that blow with Malcolm Butler and the fact he's disappeared Denver the end of the Seattle run the Steelers and now this met the date you are remembered for what you did most

recently. And I think because of that Wilson's going gonna take a long time to get the camp. Let me say this to you

All of y'all notice just as well as I do Keep an eye on what's gonna happen to Eli Manning. Mm-hmm. Eli Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion You hate to say it this way, but it's the truth Take away the Super Bowl.

Oh, he did nothing.

What did he do? So you got a career 500 record, 117-117, okay? That's Eli Manning's record as a starter. Seven winning seasons in 17 years, all right? A vast majority of the time you spent missing the playoffs,

and you going missing the playoffs,

and you going to the Hall of Fame, he's not in, obviously, not as of yet.

He's gonna make it.

He wasn't first ballot.

But he wasn't first ballot. But one would surmise he's going to make it. Well, the first nine years of Russell Wilson's career, he won football games. He also went to two Super Bowls. One won, okay? And when you look at it from that standpoint,

how could you put an Eli in and keep a Russell Wilson out? Who, by the way, his record, I'm looking at his record here, he's 121, 80, and one. That's 41 games over 500. You can't put Eli Manning in the Hall of Fame and leave Russell Wilson out. So originally, on my page here, I'm gonna write you a letter before we go to work.

As Russell Wilson's latest struggles hurt his Hall of Fame case. I said, not really. And now our question is, do you believe Russell Wilson in the Hall of Fame? Yes. One, I played against him. One of the best quarterbacks I played against because I played him in that era in Seattle when not only was he devastating pushing the ball down field, but with his legs off.

Oh, running, great.

Like, Mad Dog, we are going to have to acknowledge his stats running the football. He's one of the best rushing quarterbacks to ever play the game as well. He's in that conversation for those guys of those backbreaking plays. He has the seminal moments. Obviously, he has the Super Bowl and I get it. Like I understand about a lot of about what you did lately and maybe this

comparison is not as relevant to y'all as it is to me, but I just saw Sterling Sharpe get into the Hall of Fame with a seven-year career. Yeah, but that was injury though, But listen to what I'm saying. Okay, and I'm definitely not taking anything away from

Sterling.

Sharp.

Argue ain't arguably.

He wanted the best ever when he played you only said at the

time.

He was playing y'all notice. It was Sterling. So every rice a hundred rice was the only receiver that we had over Sterling. which is not my point comparing how good each one was, but that sample size was good enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. I think Russ's sample size from Seattle was good enough to get him in the Hall of Fame.

I don't disagree with you, but there was nothing that followed Sterling Sharp.

A hundred percent agree.

Wait, wait. and Russell, listen, if you meet Russell Wilson, he's a gentleman, he's a really nice guy. Yep. And by the way, he wasn't some damn scrub. It's far the time that caught up.

It wasn't like he was somebody that couldn't play. No, Russell Wilson was an elite player. But I think that one of the hesitancies that people have in giving him the grace that he deserves. He deserves the grace. He deserves it.

But the hesitancy was that you forced your, you basically forced your way out of Seattle. You wanted to run at your own chip even though you had a guy like Pete Carroll who's experienced, won a national championship, you can see, obviously, you know,

won a Super Bowl in Seattle as well. You're looking at him, all right, you're forcing your way out because you want to cook yourself, right? Then you go to Denver, and you heard all the stories, isolated from his teammates. Pete, I don't know this as much as you do, you know, that's not me covering a league like that,

but you heard about his own entry, his own office, and, you know, just a bit uppity and distant from players. And then when you saw that offensive lineman, if I remember correctly, getting his face on the sideline, right, because the guy, one of his best friends was traded for Russell, you saw the disdain that teammates felt for him. And you had never heard about that.

Then we gotta go back to Seattle. Let's call it what it is, Legion of Boom. It was about the Legion of Boom when they won that Super Bowl championship. It wasn't about Russell Wilson. And a matter of fact, when he threw that interception at the half-yard line of Malcolm Butler,

when they should have given the ball to Beast Mode, a lot of resentment was aimed at Russell Wilson's direction because it was believed that Pete Carroll and Darryl Bevel wanted to... wanted him to be the hero. Wanted him to be the hero, wanted him to be the MVP instead of Beast Mode, Marshawn Lynch. So those kind of things are what's hurting him in terms of the narrative,

but a narrative should not define, it should not usurp your production. I appreciate you coming around. It's production on the football field, especially when you consider others who are in the Hall of Fame,

warrants Russell Wilson being a Hall of Famer. And I completely agree, Stephen A. That's why a lot of times, man, when you think about these careers for guys, especially going to Candian a few years ago, was like, who are we letting in the Hall of Fame now? Because we did come from a generation

where that was reserved for one of ones. Right? We have to abide by what we've seen in the Hall of Fame. Now, I have no place to talk about who should or shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame when it comes to players. I was never close to that. But I will say this, for what Russell Wilson did in his career, for a large majority of the time that he was in Seattle, he was considered

one of the best football players in the NFL. And I think that is what people are going to take into consideration beyond Denver in New York. Doggy will appreciate this along with you Peter. We have an obligation in our positions to call it like we see it and to be completely effective. But the players

publicly have an obligation to do the same and sometimes they shirk that responsibility who you dislike who you like and stuff that. Or you want to be a bit tepid in your responses because you don't want to come across, you want to guard the fraternity. Nah!

You got to, if you going to call it, call it. Call it. Because one of the things that I deal with, and I know both of y'all know this. This is one of the things we deal with Swaggoo big time. I tell people this all the time. A lot of times y'all see me with my head down, with my phone and all this other stuff.

There isn't a segment ever in this show where I don't get text messages from somebody in the world of sports. It's a player, it's a coach, it's a GM, it's an owner. It happens all the time. And almost always, they don't wanna say it publicly. But they want you to.

And I'm cool with that, but at some point in time, you gotta be honest enough to be able to say, hey, this is what it is. If you're in prime time, Deion Sands is the example that you use. He's clearly qualified. Everybody don't belong in this hall of fame where I'm at. You Michael Irvin, you Jerry Rice, and these guys. Everybody don't belong here where I'm at.

Is it the hall of fame or the hall of very good?

There you go. You need to be honest enough to say that as a player. And a lot of times, There you go. You need to be honest enough to say that as a player. And a lot of times, they don't have the courage enough to say it publicly.