Jordan RaananOct 10, 2025, 11:48 AM ETCloseJordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016.Follow on X
Schefter to McAfee: NFL reviewing Giants’ concussion protocol used for Dart (2:17)Adam Schefter discusses with Pat McAfee how the NFL is reviewing the Giants’ concussion protocol in the evaluation of quarterback Jaxson Dart. (2:17)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The NFL initiated a review on the application of the concussion protocol used on quarterback Jaxson Dart during the second half of the New York Giants’ 34-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.
The league announced on Friday the review will be conducted jointly with the NFL Players Association under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement. Coach Brian Daboll and the Giants could face discipline depending on the findings, a league source told ESPN.
Dart grabbed at his head on the ground after taking a hit on a third-quarter sack. He was taken to the blue medical tent to be evaluated for a concussion. Daboll approached the tent and poked in his head. Rookie running back Cam Skattebo also went into the tent.
Daboll was later seen talking in an animated fashion to the team physician, Dr. Scott Rodeo, on the sideline while awaiting word on whether Dart would be cleared and return to the game. The coach said he wanted to find out “if he was OK” and decide whether to call timeout and potentially go for it on fourth down, if he was available.
Dart was eventually cleared and returned to the contest, but missed the final two plays of that drive. Daboll said Dart was in the Giants’ team facility on Friday, but didn’t yet know how he was feeling. Players who undergo concussion tests during games are required to take another exam the following day.
“Yeah, I haven’t, but I’ll say this, like I said last night, I went in, didn’t actually go in, just stuck my head in to see how our quarterback was doing. Just Asked him how you’re doing,” Daboll said during a Zoom call on Friday afternoon. “In no way would I want a player to come back out there that wasn’t ready to play. I think I have great respect for that process.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Mara acknowledged his conversation with Daboll and vowed to “cooperate fully” with the review.
“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 that the situation is under review by the NFL and NFLPA, and obviously we will cooperate fully.”
“Never more than those people,” Sills said. “Never any coaches in here, never any other players in here, never anybody else in here.”
It’s the third time in four games, dating back to the preseason, that Dart has been evaluated for a concussion. He said after Friday’s win he is tired of the interruptions.
“It felt so long,” Dart said. “A few guys popped in. I was just trying to get back there on the field. I understand they have protocol and whatnot. I was just trying to get out there fast.”
“I knew going over there I needed to calm down a little bit because I knew he was going to be on fire,” Skattebo said. “When I was in there, he was a little fired up, but we know we have to go through protocol and do all that stuff to make sure we can get back on the field. I went in there and kind of, ‘We’re good, man, we’ve got you,’ and that’s it.”
“Yeah, I’m not going to get into that. I do have respect for the process, but it was more I peeked in for a couple seconds to see how a player that’s important to us, important to me, how he was doing. It was a two-second question, ‘How you doing bud?'” Daboll said. “And then relative to the questions I had for our team physician was more how long is it going to be and however long it’s going to be is how long it’s going to be relative to making a game-time decision. So that’s important. Health and safety is important. I know it’s important to [owner] John Mara and we’ll abide by all those rules.”
Schefter to McAfee: NFL reviewing Giants’ concussion protocol used for Dart (2:17)Adam Schefter discusses with Pat McAfee how the NFL is reviewing the Giants’ concussion protocol in the evaluation of quarterback Jaxson Dart. (2:17)
Adam Schefter discusses with Pat McAfee how the NFL is reviewing the Giants’ concussion protocol in the evaluation of quarterback Jaxson Dart. (2:17)
CloseJordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016.Follow on X
Daboll said after the game he apologized to the team’s doctor.
Daboll also said he hadn’t specifically heard from the league yet.
Skattebo joked he was “making sure that Jaxson wasn’t hurting anybody in the injury tent.”