New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart barely had time to settle into Monday night before New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss sent him airborne and both sidelines into chaos.

Early in the first quarter, with the Giants facing second-and-13 in their own territory, Dart tucked the ball and sprinted toward the marker. He stepped near the white, and Elliss met him with a shoulder-to-chest shot that launched the rookie out of bounds and straight into a viral moment. 

ClutchPoints shared the clip on social media with the caption that Dart got “absolutely popped,” and that is exactly how it looked in real time. Giants tight end Theo Johnson immediately flew in to shove Elliss, triggering a scrum that dragged in players from both teams along the New York sideline. Johnson drew a 15-yard personal foul, while officials kept the flag in their pocket on the hit itself. 

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At that point, the Patriots already led 17-0 behind a 94-yard punt return touchdown by Marcus Jones and a 3-yard scoring toss from Drake Maye to Kayshon Boutte, as New England continued to flex its special teams and red-zone efficiency. 

Dart, making his return from a concussion that sidelined him for the last two games, got up quickly and stayed in. He played well early, opening 6-of-7 for 58 yards and a 30-yard touchdown strike to Darius Slayton via the ESPN Box Score, reminding everyone why he has 10 touchdown passes and seven rushing scores in what has become an Offensive Rookie of the Year résumé. 

The Giants clearly wanted to send a message about protecting their franchise quarterback.