Former MSNBC host Joy Reid expressed that she can no longer support the New York Giants after quarterback Jackson Dart introduced President Trump at an event. Reid referred to Dart as an “idiot” for describing his encounter with Trump as “fun.”
“Nice to meet you, what does that even mean?” she asked. “First of all, he’s an idiot. Okay, but what do you mean by ‘nice to meet you, Mr. President?’ Is English your first language? What are you even saying?”
Reid further elaborated on her decision to distance herself from the Giants, stating, “As a former Giants fan, I was really disgusted because the real-life Donald Trump is not a normal president. He wants to be king, and we are, you know, celebrating the 250th anniversary of our separation from the King of England. And here he is, trying to become one.” She pointed out that the presence of players with troubled pasts didn’t deter her from supporting the team until this moment.
Continuing her thoughts, Reid suggested that Darts was benefiting from white privilege. “Sports has always been political and represented Americana. We expect athletes to embody that spirit, whether they’re upholding or challenging the status quo. It’s often a case of black versus white athletes,” she mentioned.
“Take Muhammad Ali; when he refused to go to Vietnam, people didn’t question it deeply. Instead of digging into his reasons, he was labeled unpatriotic and jailed. This has been the narrative for black athletes—to be acceptable, they must conform to certain standards,” she added.
This comparison, however, might seem a bit extreme. Drawing parallels between Ali’s significant protest against the Vietnam War and Dart’s simple introduction of a president feels like quite a stretch.
If society truly has a harsh stance towards black athletes, one would expect more scrutiny surrounding serious crimes committed by athletes. It raises the question: when did Joy Reid become a Giants fan? Honestly, her sudden allegiance seems surprising, especially since she’s never mentioned the team before. Giving up a team over one player’s political association feels a bit flimsy.
It’s hard to imagine that if every player’s political views dictated fan allegiance, many fanbases would vanish. As OutKick’s Clay Travis remarked, there’s “nearly a zero percent chance that she’ll be able to answer basic questions about Giants fans.”
And honestly, one might wonder if she could even name the player who made the helmet catch against the Patriots in the 2007 Super Bowl.
In the end, perhaps it was a strategic move for Reid to engage with the Dart controversy, even if it comes off as somewhat clumsy. Since her departure from MSNBC in 2025, she seems to have struggled to maintain her presence in the media landscape. Given the competitive nature of online discussions, she may need to shake things up a bit more after stepping away from her support for the Giants.
