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Super Bowl champion and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis weighed in on Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter’s wild speech.
Dart introduced President Donald Trump before his speech in Suffern, New York, on Friday, and his New York Giants teammate Abdul Carter disagreed. Bettis said they don’t have to agree on their political opinions, but rather 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 happens,” Bettis told Pak Gazette 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 in the foreground in terms of sports or 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 are all about,” Bettis said.
“People from different walks of life are coming together for a common goal. And for everyone to support that goal, they must find common ground with each other.”
It seemed like Carter and Dart found some common ground, as they seemed to squash any potential breakup when Carter posted on X in a now-deleted tweet that they were “good.”
“JD6 and I are good! We talked like men before,” Carter wrote. “You all get to keep your 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 December 21, 2025. (Right) Abdul Carter (51) of the New York Giants looks from the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on October 9 of 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, 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 pleased to introduce you to the 45th and 47th president of the United States, President Donald J. Trump.”
Trump and Dart then shook hands on stage before the 23-year-old walked away.
Carter started the storm by reposting a video of Dart introducing Trump at X and captioning the tweet: “I thought this was AI what we’re doing man.” He has since deleted the tweet.
Bettis played from 1993 to 2005 and said politics was not an issue during his time in the NFL. He did note that the political climate has changed dramatically in the last 20 years since his retirement.
“No, it never did (cause a problem). But you have to understand that the landscape of politics right now is very divisive. And that’s why I think it was very different 20 years ago than it is now. Now everyone chooses 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 their politics was their politics and now it’s a very different dynamic that politics weighs on people today today.” Bettis said.
EMMANUEL ACHO SAYS IT WAS ‘STUPID ENOUGH’ 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, New York, on May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
American Championship of the Century
Bettis will play in the American Century Tournament 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 tournament fundraising to drive direct donations to Stowers each year.
Bettis has been a longtime tournament competitor since retiring in 2006. He said it’s been “amazing” to watch the event grow over the years.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he is still trying to improve his form for the tournament. Bettis said he’s trying out a new swing and wonders 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, 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 the favorite part is really arguing with the athletes because obviously being retired, you don’t have the opportunity to do that anymore. And so when you get the opportunity to make fun of the guys and have fun with them like that locker room experience again, it’s really fun and exhilarating,” Bettis said.
The tournament will air on NBC and Peacock.
