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Super Bowl champion and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis weighed in on the rampant Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter discourse.
Dart introduced President Donald Trump before his speech in Suffern, New York, on Friday, and New York Giants teammate Abdul Carter took issue with it. Bettis said that they don’t have to agree on their political opinions but have to find a way to work together.
“You don’t have to agree. And that’s the one thing. I mean, you don’t agree with your teammate, but you got to find a way to work with them and I think that’s what happens,” Bettis told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
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Jerome Bettis speaks on SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 5, 2025. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Bettis said Dart and Carter need to find common ground.
“I think politics, it’s always there. It’s never really in the forefront in terms of sports or a locker room. So, I don’t think that’s ever an issue. But what you have to do is find common ground. I think that’s what team sports is all about,” Bettis said.
“People coming from different walks of life are all coming together for one common goal. And in order for you to all support that goal, you have to find common ground with each other.”
It appeared Carter and Dart found some common ground as they appeared to squash any potential rift when Carter posted to X in a since-deleted tweet that they were “good.”
“Me and JD6 are good! We spoke earlier as Men,” Carter wrote. “Y’all can keep y’all narratives.”
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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 Dec. 21, 2025. (Right) Abdul Carter (51) of the New York Giants looks on from the field prior to an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Oct. 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 onto the stage.
“Big Blue Nation, it’s a pleasure to be here. I got to start this off with a ‘Go Big Blue,’” Dart said, and then led the chant for a few moments before proceeding to introduce Trump.
“What an honor, what a privilege it is to be here, and without further ado, I’m grateful, I’m honored, I’m pleasured to introduce the 45th and 47th president of the United States America, President Donald J. Trump.”
Trump and Dart then shook hands on the stage before the 23-year-old departed.
Carter began the firestorm by reposting a video of Dart introducing Trump on X and captioning the tweet, “Thought this s— was AI, what we doing man.” He has since deleted the tweet.
Bettis played from 1993-2005, and he said politics were not an issue during his time in the NFL. He did note that political climate has changed drastically in the last 20 years since his retirement.
“No, it never did (cause an issue). But you have to understand that the landscape of politics right now is very divisive. And so I think it was much different 20 years ago than it is now. Now everyone’s picking sides and this and that and now you hate the other guy’s side. And that was never the case in politics 20 years ago. Hey, you respected the guys decision and his politics was his politics and now it’s a much different dynamic that politics weighs on people nowadays,” Bettis said.
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, N.Y., on May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
American Century Championship
Bettis will be playing in the American Century Tournament from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
The tournament has 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 fundraising at the tournament to drive direct donations to Stowers each year.
Bettis has been a longtime competitor in the tournament since retiring in 2006. He said it has been “incredible” to see the event grow over the years.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he is still trying to round in the form for the tournament. Bettis said he is trying a new swing and is wondering how it will 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, Nev., 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 the favorite part is really getting to chop it up with the athletes because obviously being retired, you don’t get the chance to do that anymore. And so, when you do get a chance to kind of rib guys and have fun with guys like that locker room experience again, it’s really fun and exhilarating,” Bettis said.
The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
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