New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson and cornerback Dru Phillips were not able to fully enjoy their bye week after both were hit with fines by the NFL.
Johnson was fined $6,488 for “unnecessary roughness” after hitting New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss out of bounds.
The hit, which drew a 15-yard penalty, came after Ellis leveled rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart along the sideline. The collision went viral and again raised questions about Dart’s reckless style, which he continues to defend.
Ellis, who was not fined for his hit, stood by his decision to send Dart flying.
“I saw the scramble, I started chasing him down. He started tiptoeing on the sideline. I thought he was just going to go out of bounds, but then I saw him tiptoeing,” he said, via NBC Sports. “So I was like, He’s staying in bounds — what am I supposed to do? We play hard on defense. We try to bring life to this team. I was just doing my job and hit anything in the whites.”
In addition to Johnson, cornerback Dru Phillips also drew a $7,292 fine for “unnecessary roughness.”
With 4:20 remaining in the third quarter and facing a third-and-11, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye sailed a pass to running back TreVeyon Henderson that fell incomplete after a hit from Phillips. Officials on the field did not throw a flag, but the NFL deemed it a “hit on a defenseless player.”
For both Johnson and Phillips, it was their first fines of the year.