The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Giants investigating video of QB Jones, Barkley partying indoors without masks
NEW YORK — Daniel Jones falling flat on his face in Philadelphia might not even be the Giants quarterback’s most embarrassing video of the weekend.
Since-deleted videos and photos of Jones and Saquon Barkley partying indoors without masks hit Instagram early Saturday morning on the account of a man who goes by the name DJ Lugghead, as first reported by NJ.com.
Jones is seen with a woman and the DJ inside a bar in one video, all three without masks. Jones takes a drink from the woman and sips it.
Aphoto of Jones, Barkley and the DJ inside a bar — all without masks — was captioned “Rockin wit Danny dimes and Saquon.”
Another video appears to show Barkley, with a torn right ACL, riding a bicycle and jamming out on the street with others to Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares.”
Lugghead has told multiple publications that the images were from last year, but a source familiar with the situation said the video of Jones was taken on Friday night.
This could lead to team and league discipline if Jones, Barkley and other players present are found to have violated the NFL’s and NFLPA’s joint COVID-19 protocols.
“We are aware of the video that was posted,” the Giants said in a statement. “We are looking into the nature and context of what is on the video.”
The Daily News has learned some of the video’s context: Jones, a few teammates, and some friends had dinner Friday night in a private room at a restaurant in New York City.
After dinner, according to a source familiar with the events, Jones’ group was invited to have a drink in a
bar that is closed to the public. That is where the video of Jones was taken.
The News also was told that the group was not at Common Ground, a Manhattan bar that DJ Lugghead was simultaneously advertising on his Instagram story. The DJ was working as one of Jones’ and his group’s drivers for the night.
Regardless, the Giants’ two most prominent players are on social media living it up with their team at 1-6 and appeared to be violating NFL COVID-19 protocols while doing so.
Not to mention Jones is the Giants’ franchise quarterback and is not taking proper safety precautions for his and others’ health, and also is in the news for the wrong reasons.
The tightened and updated protocols released Oct. 6 by the NFL and NFLPA say that “groups of more than three Tier 1, 2 or 3 individuals, including players, are prohibited from gathering outside of the club facility or team travel.”
The protocols remind teams: “violations of this provision will result in discipline.”
The following situations are also described as “HighRisk COVID-19 Conduct”
from the league’s and NFLPA’s “COVID-19 Related Operational Adjustments released in August:
Attending an indoor night club (unless player is wearing PPE and there are no more than 10 people in the club)
Attending an indoor bar (other than to pick up food, or unless player is wearing PPE and there are no more than 10 people in the club)
Teams are required to “promptly report to the Club’s Infection Control Officer and to the NFL any information regarding a potential violation“of protocol.
Players also are supposed to notify their union of any possible violation, and the NFL and NFLPA agreed to jointly investigate any and all such reports.
“Should a Club employee or other member of the Club’s staff knowingly and materially fail to follow these protocols, they will be subject to discipline,” the policy concludes.
Giants players are off until Monday. Head coach Joe Judge is due to address the media next on Tuesday. The Giants’ next game is Nov. 2 on Monday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady at MetLife Stadium.