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Super Bowl champion and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis weighed in on Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter’s frantic speech.
Dart introduced President Donald Trump before his speech in Suffern, New York, on Friday, and his New York Giants teammate Abdul Carter took issue with him. Bettis said they don’t have to agree on their political views, but they need to find a way to work together.
“You don’t have to agree. And that’s the only thing. I mean, you don’t agree with your teammate, but you have to find a way to work with them and I think that’s what’s happening,” Bettis told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
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Jerome Bettis speaks on SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 5, 2025. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Bettis said Dart and Carter need to find common ground.
“I think politics is always there. It’s never really at the forefront in terms of the sport or the locker room. So, I don’t think it’s ever an issue. But what you have to do is find common ground. I think that’s what team sports are all about,” Bettis said.
“People from different backgrounds come together around a common goal. And for you all to support that goal, you need to find common ground among yourselves.”
It appears Carter and Dart have found common ground as they appeared to squash any potential rift when Carter posted about X in a since-deleted tweet that they were “good.”
“Me and JD6 are doing great! We spoke earlier as Men,” Carter wrote. “You can all keep your stories.”
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(Left) New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) practices before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on December 21, 2025. (Right) Abdul Carter (51) of the New York Giants watches from the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 9, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images; Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Dart, 23, set the stage for Trump’s speech with a chant before welcoming the president to the stage.
“Big Blue Nation, it’s a pleasure to be here. I have to start with a ‘Go Big Blue,'” Dart said, before leading the chant for a few moments before introducing Trump.
“What an honor, what a privilege to be here, and without further ado, I am grateful, I am honored, I am pleased to introduce the 45th and 47th Presidents of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump.”
Trump and Dart then shook hands on stage before the 23-year-old left.
Carter ignited the storm by reposting a Dart video featuring Trump on X and captioning the tweet: “I thought it was AI what we were doing man.” He has since deleted the tweet.
Bettis played from 1993 to 2005 and he said politics wasn’t an issue during his time in the NFL. He noted that the political climate had changed dramatically in the 20 years since his retirement.
“No, it’s never caused a problem. But you have to understand that the political landscape today is very divisive. And so I think it was very different 20 years ago than it is today. Now everyone picks sides and this and that and now you hate the other side. And that was never the case in politics 20 years ago. Hey, you respected the guys’ decision and his policy was his policy and now it’s a dynamic very different than politics weighs on people these days.” » said Bettis.
EMMANUEL ACHO SAYS IT WAS “Pretty STUPID” FOR JAXSON DART TO INTRODUCE PRESIDENT TRUMP
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart greets President Donald Trump during a Fighting For American Workers event in Suffern, NY, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
American Century Championship
Bettis will compete in the American Century tournament July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
The tournament raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates a tournament fundraiser each year to generate direct donations to Stowers.
Bettis has been a longtime competitor in the tournament since retiring in 2006. He said it has been “amazing” to see the event grow over the years.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he is still trying to get back into shape for the tournament. Bettis said he was trying a new swing and wondering how it would hold up.
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Jerome Bettis swings during the final round of the American Century Celebrity Championship golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada on July 16, 2023. (Tom R. Smedes/Special to RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Bettis said his favorite part of the tournament is interacting with the athletes and having fun with the guys.
“I think my favorite part is really being able to talk with the athletes because obviously being retired you don’t get a chance to do that anymore. And so when you get a chance to have fun with guys like that experience in the locker room, it’s really fun and exhilarating,” Bettis said.
The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
