How NY Giants Teammates Navigated Politics Like Builders

Politics found its way onto a professional football field last week — and what happened next was actually kind of remarkable.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced President Trump at a rally in Suffern, New York. His teammate Abdul Carter saw it and quickly made a concerned post on social media. Headlines predicted a locker room explosion. Cable news analysts called it a crisis.

Then the two of them did something the pundits didn't see coming: they acted like Builders.

Context shows the nuance

When Dart publicly spoke next, he clarified something that Builders may have suspected: his decision to speak at the rally had not been about any political loyalty or tribalism. In Dart’s own words: “the president position has always been a position that I've well-respected, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party.” 

While the media and online commentators wanted to stir up controversy, the quarterback’s clarification demonstrates how taking the time to be curious about someone’s actions rather than jumping to conclusions can make a powerful difference.

The team meeting nobody's talking about

Before either player addressed the media, Dart addressed his teammates directly, with the team's focus on moving forward together.

As their coach John Harbaugh summed it up: "The players established amongst themselves how they wanted to approach these kinds of things that are part of the dialogue in our society, and they did a great job. I was proud of them."

A team that could've fractured along political lines instead had an honest conversation, set some shared norms, and got back to work towards their shared goals.

“Stand on what you believe” — and let the other guy do the same

Both Carter and Dart held strong beliefs, and they found a way to move forward together without compromising their values. 

Yes, Carter made clear that he felt "Some things are bigger than football,” but what he said next is what matters: "It doesn't mean that me and Jaxson hate each other, or we have beef. I sit next to Jaxson every day, every team meeting, we're close, we talk."

Dart also highlighted the importance of talking with each other, even when we disagree strongly, saying, "We've had a lot of honest conversations with each other as a team," he said. "I love these guys, and going forward, I can't wait for what more we have to grow the culture of this team, our brotherhood."

As Carter put it, “Stand on what you believe in, but it can't be a problem when I stand on what I believe. And that's all that matters to me.”

That's not conflict avoidance. That's two people holding their own convictions firmly while still making room for each other.

What this has to do with the rest of us

The Giants didn't dissolve their disagreement — they just didn't let outside noise stoke controversy or get in the way of the work they needed to accomplish, together. They said what they thought, had the hard conversation, and chose a shared goal over a permanent grudge.

That's a Builder move. And it's available to all of us.

Think about a relationship in your own life where a political or values difference has hardened into distance. What would it look like to say what you actually think — and still stay curious about the other person?

Try it this week. Identify one person you've been avoiding a real conversation with. Not to fight, and not to back down — just to actually talk. What's one honest, human thing you could say to keep the relationship moving forward?

If professional athletes can do it with the world watching, so can the rest of us.