During the opening quarter of the Tennessee game against the New England Patriots on Monday night, Jaxson Dart was leveled. Few parties had a more vested interest in the outcome than the quarterback of their team. After taking a vicious blow from linebacker Christian Elliss, Dart still pushed through. We lost the game 33-15, but he had amazing grit and fight in that game.
Dart was efficient, finishing 17-for-24 and 139 yards with a TD and no INTs. He showed off his mobility, too, rushing four times for 20 yards. Dart said he was frustrated with how things turned out as a team in that game.
The play was a second-and-13. Dart was running for his life out of the pocket, struggling to avoid a fourth down. As Elliss’s tackle flipped Dart high into the air, there were immediate questions about his well-being—considering his recent history with concussions. Despite being hit hard, Dart immediately recovered and ran back to the huddle, no limp or lack of confidence evident.
I cannot get hit, whether I’m in the pocket or out of the pocket. Dart stated after the game. I just think I’ve always played like this since I was a little kid. It should not be such a surprise to anyone if you were paying attention to my career.
Dart plays with an aggressive style that is unrelenting. Even after experiencing a concussion this season against Chicago, he doesn’t hold back his intensity on the court. In an unfortunate stroke of bad luck, this fluke play put him on the bench for two games. He was getting concussion checks in four of the last eight games. Dart was quick to underscore that neither the concussion nor the hit from Elliss would deter him from playing the way he does.
“Obviously, don’t want him to take any hits that are unnecessary, but he was working his way out of bounds,” said interim coach Mike Kafka, who was supportive of Dart’s decision-making during that moment.
For a college quarterback who plays with such a physical style, Dart’s comments show an increasing recognition that football can be deadly. “We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit. Things happen. It’s just part of the game,” he remarked, reinforcing his commitment to staying aggressive on the field.
Teammate Greg Van Roten reiterated Dart’s mentality when it comes to keeping their quarterback upright. “And we’re not here to come and get stepped on,” he said, setting a tone of making sure though that you may need to defend Dart at times. Van Roten added that such hits on their quarterback would not go unaddressed: “If they do s
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