The New York Giants shocked the world on Thursday Night Football by picking up a 34-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The win didn’t come without its controversy, though, as New York and its head coach, Brian Daboll, are being investigated for potentially interfering with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart‘s concussion protocol process.
While Dart did eventually return to the game, the league believes that the team may have broken protocol when it comes to the process that must be completed in order for a player to return to the field. With the controversy continuing to garner attention, the Giants issued a statement on the situation on Friday.
Giants Address Jaxson Dart Controversy
In the third start of his NFL career, Dart carved up the Eagles’ defense from the get-go. Not only did he throw for 195 yards and a touchdown, but he also picked up another 58 yards and a score on the ground as a runner. Add in 98 yards and three touchdowns from Cam Skattebo, and New York seems to have found its new star offensive duo.
Late in the third quarter, Dart was injured after he hit his head hard on the ground while getting sacked by Patrick Johnson. Dart was checked by medical personnel and cleared to return to the game, but Amazon Prime’s broadcast of the game caught both Daboll and Skattebo approaching and briefly entering the blue medical tent while Dart was getting evaluated.
It may seem inconsequential since Dart was deemed to be fine and eventually returned to the game, but this is something that the league does not want to become a frequent occurrence. With the league looking into the controversial handling of Dart’s concussion protocol, the Giants addressed the situation.
“I spoke to Coach Daboll this morning about approaching the medical tent last night,” team owner John Mara said in a statement posted on X. “While I firmly believe, as he has stated, that he was not trying to influence the process in any way, he understands that the appearance of going to the tent is inappropriate.”
“We have protocols in place as a league to ensure player safety, and we need to allow our medical staff to execute those protocols without interference. We understand the situation is under review by the NFL and the NFLPA, and obviously we will cooperate fully.”
Giants Turn Attention to Week 7 Amid Jaxson Dart Controversy
GettyNew York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The silver lining from this situation for the Giants is that Dart is not concussed, which is huge, because he has looked miles better than Russell Wilson during his brief stint on the field this season. With that being said, the team and Daboll could still get punished for their actions during their win over the Eagles.
With a couple of extra days off, New York will get to kick back and enjoy the rest of the action across the NFL on Sunday before turning its attention to Week 7. Once they do that, they will have a tough matchup against the Denver Broncos on their plate, and if they intend to pull off another upset, Dart will need to be on the field. Before that game, though, it will be worth keeping tabs on the Giants to see if they get punished by the league over this incident.
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