Giants Found in Violation of League Concussion Protocols During Week 6 Game

The NFL and NFLPA have concluded their investigation into the New York Giants'  role in the Week 6 concussion protocol administered to quarterback Jaxson Dart, in which head coach Brian Daboll and rookie running back Cam Skattebo entered the blue medical tent during Dart’s evaluation. 

The findings, released in a joint statement by the NFL and NFLPA, found that Dart’s check was conducted thoroughly under the protocols established by the league and the CBA, and that the quarterback had been properly cleared to return to the game following his suspected injury.

However, the findings also revealed that Daboll and Skattebo violated the protocol by entering an unauthorized area, in which, per the protocol, “only medical personnel deemed essential to the care of the athlete may be present for the tent and/or locker room evaluation.” 

Both Dart and Skattebo were found to have spoken with Dart while he was being evaluated, each making a verbal inquiry about how he was feeling. Such an action, according to the investigation, created “the perception that they were interfering with Dart’s exam,” even though it didn’t have any actual impact on the exam itself. 

As a result, the parties were found to have violated the league’s protocol and were fined by the league. The Giants received a $200,000 fine, Daboll a $100,000 fine, and Skattebo a $15,000 fine, Skattebo's fine based on “conduct detrimental to the league.”

The Giants were not stripped of any draft picks, which was a penalty that was on the table in such instances, because the investigation found that the parties took “immediate remedial steps to prevent any similar violation in the future.” 

Those steps included cooperating fully with the joint review, something that team CEO John Mara. who is a member of the NFL’s Health and Safety Committee, vowed would be prioritized; conducting additional training with club staff and players on the proper use of the medical tent; and taking additional steps to ensure that only permitted individuals can enter the medical tent during a concussion evaluation. 

Daboll, who addressed the media on Friday before the investigation report was released, has not commented on it since the incident.