NFL fines Giants, coach Brian Daboll and rookie Cam Skattebo for violating concussion protocols

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL levied three fines totaling $315,000 against the New York Giants on Friday for violating concussion protocol by peeking into a medical tent to check on injured quarterback Jaxson Dart during an in-game evaluation two weeks ago.

The league fined the team $200,000 for the violation. The NFL also fined coach Brian Daboll $100,000 and fined rookie running back Cam Skattebo $15,000 for talking to Dart before his evaluation was complete and creating the perception that they were interfering with the exam.

The NFL and the NFL Players Association reviewed relevant reports and video and jointly interviewed members of the club’s medical staff, independent medical providers, coaches and players.

The two parties concluded that the team’s medical staff and unaffiliated medical providers properly followed all the concussion protocol steps required under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“While the parties agreed that Coach Daboll’s and Mr. Skattebo’s actions had no actual impact on the exam or the care that Mr. Dart received, their conduct was inconsistent with and demonstrated a disregard for the concussion protocol’s requirements and therefore constituted a violation,” the league and the NFLPA said in a joint statement.

The parties also noted that the Giants took immediate steps to prevent any similar violation in the future.

TV cameras caught Daboll poking his head into the blue injury tent when Dart was being checked for a concussion in the Thursday night game. Daboll was impatient about the time it was taking to clear Dart, saying he just wanted him out there “if he was OK.” Daboll later apologized and acknowledged he was in the wrong.

Skattebo also poked his head into the tent, joking he was “making sure that Jaxson wasn’t hurting anybody in the injury tent.”