The New York Giants face scrutiny over their management of quarterback Jaxson Dart's apparent concussion during Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago. Dart was not evaluated immediately after hitting his head and lying motionless following a third-quarter fumble. Experts and reports highlight failures in the NFL's concussion protocol, prompting demands for a league review.
During the New York Giants' game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 9, 2025, quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a concerning head injury in the third quarter. After being tackled by Bears defensive lineman Austin Booker, Dart hit his head on the grass, fumbled the ball without attempting to recover it, and lay motionless. He rose slowly using his elbows and knees, with his head bowed, as the clock stopped at 5:05 remaining in the quarter.
Despite these signs, the NFL's concussion spotter and unaffiliated neurological consultants did not call for an immediate evaluation. The Giants allowed Dart to return for two plays with 34 seconds left in the quarter. Only at the quarter break did coaches send him to the blue medical tent and then the locker room for assessment, where he was diagnosed with a concussion.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., founding CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, criticized the oversight, stating, “If that’s true, then that would be a failure of the protocol. Because what triggers the protocol is head impact and lying motionless, which he was. There’s actually fumbling a football and making no attempt to recover it. So unless he has three broken ribs, that’s a concussion.”
This incident was not isolated. Earlier in the second quarter, with about eight minutes left, Dart's head was slammed to the turf during a sack by multiple defenders, his helmet came off, and Bears linebacker Noah Sewell was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul after delivering a forearm to Dart's head. Yet, Dart remained in the game.
Dart's history adds urgency: he has been evaluated for concussions four times since preseason—August 21 against the Patriots, September 28 against the Chargers, October 9 against the Eagles, and November 9 against the Bears. He cleared protocol and returned three times. Nowinski noted the risks, calling the NFL's sideline evaluations a “shortcut” that endangers players.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who was fired following the game, downplayed knowledge of the injury during his final press conference: “I’m not sure exactly the play that [the concussion] happened. I don’t know the exact play that it happened for him relative to getting hurt or not getting hurt.” This echoes a prior Week 6 incident where Daboll entered the medical tent, leading to fines: $200,000 for the team, $100,000 for Daboll, and $15,000 for rookie running back Cam Skattebo.
A source indicated no joint NFL-NFL Players' Association investigation yet, but Nowinski and others argue it is mandatory given the protocol breach. The situation draws parallels to the 2022 firing of a consultant after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's mishandled injury. Dart's recovery timeline remains unknown, but the incident underscores ongoing concerns about player safety in the league.