Patriots’ Christian Elliss Delivers a Message - And It’s Not Just for the Opposing QB
FOXBORO - If you’re a quarterback scrambling near the sideline against the New England Patriots, you might want to think twice before easing up. Christian Elliss made sure of that over the weekend.
Late in the game, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart tried to tiptoe his way down the sideline on a scramble. Elliss wasn’t having it. The Patriots linebacker closed in fast and delivered a punishing, legal hit that sent Dart flying - and sent a message to quarterbacks across the league: the sideline isn’t a safe zone unless you slide.
“Make sure to slide,” Elliss said postgame, a simple reminder that the hit was business, not personal.
Head coach Mike Vrabel backed the play, emphasizing that Elliss did exactly what the Patriots ask of their defenders - finish through the whistle, play physical, and stay within the rules.
“It’s a weekly reminder to the quarterback, our quarterback - we show them every week,” Vrabel said. “I wouldn’t get too cute over there by the sidelines.
It happens every week. So Christian’s playing through the whistle, and as long as the player’s inbounds, he’s going to try to hit him legally.”
That “our quarterback” Vrabel referred to? Drake Maye. And the rookie is listening.
Maye’s already had his own welcome-to-the-NFL moment when it comes to sideline hits. Last year against the Chargers, he learned the hard way that the sideline doesn’t always mean safety. He took a big shot in a similar spot on the same sideline.
“I think it’s something that’s been across the league that has showed up with quarterbacks near the boundary or near the sideline just kind of relaxing,” Maye said. “And I think I learned last year… I got smacked on the sideline. So just be smart and know you’ve almost got to accelerate or get down or do something over there.”
That’s the difference between Maye and Dart right now. Maye’s taking those lessons to heart.
Dart? He’s still playing with the same edge - for better or worse.
Dart, who missed two games earlier this season with a concussion suffered on November 9, didn’t back down even with Elliss bearing down on him. He stayed in bounds, kept his eyes downfield, and paid the price.
But don’t expect him to change.
“I’m going to keep playing aggressive,” Dart told reporters. “Hopefully everybody can take a second to watch my tape going back to high school and realize that this is not a shock.
I play the game aggressively. I took one hit that people are talking about.
I slid. Got out of the way of a lot of hits.”
He added, “I appreciate people wanting me to be healthy and all that stuff and I want to be healthy too. I play this game aggressively. I’m not just going to change how I play the game.”
It’s a mindset that walks a fine line - the kind that can spark a team or sideline a quarterback. And while Dart’s toughness is admirable, the risk is real. Especially against a defense like New England’s, where guys like Elliss are hunting for exactly those moments.
As for Maye, he’s shown growth in protecting himself this season. He did have a brief scare in Week 7 when he left the game against the Titans to be evaluated for a concussion, but he was quickly cleared and returned to action.
It’s clear the Patriots are sending a message - not just to their opponents, but to their own locker room. Play smart.
Play tough. And if you’re a quarterback dancing near the sideline, you better know where that white line ends - and where Christian Elliss begins.