The NFL was swift to dole out punishment to the New York Giants after head coach Ben McAdoo used a walkie-talkie to communicate with quarterback Eli Manning from the sideline.
Ben McAdoo and the Giants punished for using walkie-talkie to communicate from sideline
Using a walkie-talkie is against NFL rules, and the league acted swiftly.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
The NFL fined the Giants $150,000 and McAdoo $50,000 for the use of the walkie-talkie, and also had their fourth-round pick in 2017 moved to the end of the fourth-round after any compensatory picks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
During the Giants’ win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, the radio transmitter in Manning’s helmet malfunctioned. Manning was unable to hear play calls from the sideline, and during the fourth quarter, McAdoo switched to a walkie-talkie to resolve the problem.
Use of a walkie-talkie in place of the established communication system between the sideline and quarterbacks is against NFL rules. The league monitors those communications to ensure that they comply with regulations. The Giants’ use of a walkie-talkie removed the league’s ability to ensure the Giants were operating within the rules, which is the reason for the punishment.
The Giants did beat the Cowboys, presumably with a little help from the walkie-talkies, and handed Dallas its second loss of the season with a final score of 10-7.
See More:
