John Harbaugh Is Not Happy With Giants QB Jaxson Dart

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Jaxson Dart gave the New York Giants a huge highlight during Tuesday’s practice and gave head coach John Harbaugh a reason to jump all over him.

During a red-zone drill, Dart ran in for a touchdown. Right after crossing the goal line, he threw the ball at cornerback Greg Newsome. The ball hit Newsome right in the helmet, instantly ticking off the defense and getting into a heated exchange of words with the young QB.

Harbaugh wasn’t about to let that slide.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Harbaugh treated it like a real game-day mistake and issued a penalty during practice.

“I think it’s a 15-yard penalty for taunting, so we backed up the extra point and had them do it again,” Harbaugh said.

The message from the Giants coach came across clearly. He wants discipline from his quarterback, especially in situations that could hurt the team during a real game.

Harbaugh made it clear that he did not need a long conversation to get the point across.

“I think he understands that we don’t want it for the game-winning extra point, we don’t want it to be a 50-yard extra point or so,” Harbaugh said. “Do you think I need to say anything in that case? It’s pretty clear cut.”

Harbaugh Wants Dart Focused On Growth

The moment was a small but real sign of Dart’s growth under the new coaching staff.

The Giants brought in Harbaugh after a painful 4-13 season that cost Brian Daboll his job. Now, Harbaugh has the tough job of turning the team around while helping Dart grow into a long-term answer at quarterback.

Dart gave a lot of hope as a rookie. The former first-round pick put up a solid 91.7 quarterback rating across 14 games, throwing for 15 touchdowns and running for nine more, with just five interceptions.

His energy and confidence made him a fan favorite. But Harbaugh seems focused on helping him channel that passion in the right way.

Dart also comes into the year with some health questions after getting checked for multiple concussions last season. On top of that, he’s still learning a completely new offensive strategy under Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

The offense has stumbled a bit early in training camp, but Harbaugh is still really encouraged by what he’s seeing from his young QB.

“You can’t even imagine how much there is for a quarterback to operate with, especially in a new offense,” Harbaugh said Monday, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. “He’s done an outstanding job. There’s so much on his plate. He’s pushing the envelope, He’s also competing at the same time, He’s a fiery guy, I’m very impressed.”

For now, Harbaugh wants the young quarterback to keep everything under control.