Giants C ejected

New York Giants center Weston Richburg became the first NFL player ejected under a new rule after drawing two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties Sunday in a 29-27 loss to Washington.

Under the rule that, coincidentally, derives from incidents last season involving Richburg’s Giants teammate Odell Beckham Jr., a player can be thrown out of a game for committing two such fouls. Richburg got one in the second quarter, then drew another early in the fourth period when he blocked Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and then taunted him on a pass play.

It was Norman, then with Carolina, against whom Beckham committed three personal fouls last December. Beckham wound up being suspended for New York’s next game. The rule, backed by Commissioner Roger Goodell, was implemented in the offseason.

Richburg was ejected in a 2010 game for fighting as his Colorado State team defeated Idaho 36-24.

“I let my teammates down,” Richburg said. “I have to be a presence in there and be a leader and I let my team down.”