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The New York Giants and Brian Daboll have each been hit with six-figure fines by the NFL for violations of league concussion protocol following the head coach’s decision to enter the sideline medical tent in the team's Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Giants were fined $200,000, while Daboll was hit with a $100,000 penalty following a joint review by the league and the players' union. Daboll was seen entering the medical tent as quarterback Jaxson Dart was being evaluated for a head injury. Dart returned to finish with 195 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-25 passing.
Rookie running back Cam Skattebo also entered the tent, in violation of league rules, and was fined $15,000.
While the league acknowledged Giants medical staff followed NFL concussion protocol in their evaluation of Dart, Daboll and Skattebo were both wrong to enter the tent.
'The concussion protocol states that “only medical personnel deemed essential to the care of the athlete may be present for the tent and/or locker room evaluation,"' read the league statement. 'This includes the team physician best qualified to evaluate concussion, the club athletic trainer, and the sideline Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant.” No other individuals are permitted in the tent or locker room during an evaluation.'
Speaking after the game, Daboll was asked about his role in the incident and he admitted that he 'apologized directly' to medical staff after seemingly interfering.
The NFL initiated a review of the application of concussion protocol over the Dart incident
Giants head coach Brian Daboll was seen approaching the tent to check on his star rookie
Broadcast cameras caught the moment Daboll approached the tent during the third quarter
'If you've ever been on an NFL sideline, there's a lot of emotions,' he said. 'There's a lot of emotions. And I certainly am an emotional guy.
'I apologized directly to our team physician. I just wanted his a** out there if he was OK. But I wanted the process — like, we were getting ready to go for it on a potential fourth down.
'I would have burned a timeout if he could have came out there. So I was asking how long is it gonna take?
'So, again, you want your guy out there, not at risk of anything else. But, you know, he came out. 'I think he's gonna be good.'
'I'm like, "Is he gonna be good or not? I'm gonna call a timeout on fourth down and go for this son of a b****." You know what I mean? So, I love our doctors. I apologize. I was in the wrong.'
