Christian Elliss: I Was Just Doing My Job When I Hit Jaxson Dart Near the Sideline — NBC Sports
A heated altercation erupted on Monday night after Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss delivered a forceful yet legal hit on Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart close to the sideline. Following the game, Elliss expressed surprise at how the Giants responded to the play.
Elliss’s hit was undeniably hard, but it was within the rules and executed cleanly. However, Giants tight end Theo Johnson took issue with the impact and responded with his own aggressive hit on Elliss, which sparked the fight. Ultimately, Johnson was the only player penalized for the scuffle. After the game, Elliss stood firm, stating he wouldn’t change anything about his actions.
"I saw Dart scrambling and started pursuing him. He was tiptoeing along the sideline. I initially thought he’d step out of bounds, but then I noticed he was hesitating," Elliss explained. "So I thought, he’s staying in bounds—what am I supposed to do? We play tough on defense. We try to energize the team. I was simply doing my job—if I see a player in the white, I go for the hit."
From this perspective, Elliss’s stance makes sense. If Dart wants to avoid hard hits, he should get out of bounds before defenders can reach him. Elliss’s hit was in bounds and just part of his defensive responsibilities.
And here’s the part most people overlook: Elliss was playing within the rules, doing what defenders are supposed to do—pursue and make plays. The responsibility ultimately falls on the quarterback to make smarter decisions about when to slide or step out of bounds to protect himself from hits. So, while the incident sparked debate, Elliss’s actions were justified and part of the game’s physical nature.
