The NFL is looking into the New York Giants' sideline use of walkie-talkies during their Week 14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, via a source informed of the league's plans.
The hand-held communication device was used for four or five plays on an early fourth-quarter drive that ended in an interception to Victor Cruz, Rapoport added, per a source informed of the Giants' situation.
As the team worked to fix Ben McAdoo's communications equipment, the head coach was handed a walkie-talkie as a replacement for the malfunctioning communications system.
"League policy prohibits a coach from using such devices in a game," an NFL spokesman told NFL.com, "because he would not be cut off from talking by the switch operator for the coach-to-player helmet communication system. Communication is cut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or when the ball is snapped."
McAdoo's walkie-talkie was shown on air during the broadcast of NBC's Sunday Night Football. Contrary to reports, no formal complaint was filed by Dallas, the NFL spokesman stated.
Stephen Jones, the Cowboys' executive vice president, believes the use of walkie-talkies did not affect the outcome of the game, according to ESPN.com.
The Giants offered no comment when queried by Rapoport.
Quarterback Eli Manning did confirm to the New York Post that the communication system was shut down entirely in the fourth quarter.
"I just wasn't getting anything, so I had to run to the sideline to get the plays," Manning explained. "Four plays maybe, we don't have signals for stuff.
"It happened to be all run plays. If it's pass plays, (backup quarterback Ryan) Nassib or somebody could signal them to me. I had to run to the sideline, sometimes he was giving it to Odell (Beckham) right there, and Odell would run to me and get the play in. Like high school."
