The NFL has handed out fines to two members of the New York Giants for infractions during last week’s disastrous game against the New England Patriots in Week 13.
Tight end Theo Johnson was docked $6,488 for unnecessary roughness after he went after New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss on the play in which Elliss leveled scrambling Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart as he was trying to pick up first-down yardage and then get out of bounds.
Johnson drew a 15-yard penalty flag on that play, a play in which he was trying to defend his best friend and teammate.
Elliss, for what it’s worth, was not fined by the league. After the game, Elliss defended his hit on Dart when asked about it by reporters.
The NFL fined Giants TE Theo Johnson $6,488 for unnecessary roughness — going after Patriots LB Christian Elliss, who hit Jaxson Dart at the sideline.
Elliss wasn’t flagged or fined for the hit, which was deemed legal.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 6, 2025
“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,” Elliss said.
“When I saw he was going to stay in bounds, what am I supposed to do? We play hard on defense. We try to bring life to this team. That is all I was trying to do, was just do my job and hit anything in the white jerseys.”
The hit against Dart, who was playing in his first game back after missing two weeks with a concussion, once again raised concerns about his willingness to be so reckless as a runner.
“This is football. I’m going to get hit if I’m in the pocket or outside the pocket,” Dart said after the game.
“I feel like I’ve played this way my whole life. It shouldn’t be any shocker to anybody if you’ve followed along with my career. We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit. Things happen. It’s just part of the game.”
Interim head coach Mike Kafka also seemed to have no issue with the play.
“Listen, Jaxson’s an aggressive football player,” Kafka said in his postgame press conference.
“He’s on the sideline, trying to get himself out of bounds, takes a hit. He bounced up. He’s a tough kid.”
Giants slot cornerback also draws a fine
New York Giants cornerback Dru Phillips was fined for unnecessary roughness in the Giants’ Week 13 loss to the Patriots. | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Giants slot cornerback Dru Phillips also drew a fine from the league for unnecessary roughness, but in the amount of $7,292.
Phillips’s fine came on a play in which he wasn’t flagged but was ruled a hit on a defenseless player.
The play in question came in the third quarter. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye tried to connect with running back TreVeyon Henderson on a pass, but the attempt fell incomplete as Phillips hit Henderson just as the ball was arriving.
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