NFL Has Punishment Decision to Make on Christian McCaffrey Incident
McCaffrey was involved in an incident in the fourth quarter that resulted in a 15-yard penalty. Giants defensive back Dane Belton was flagged for a personal foul on McCaffrey, which will likely lead to a punishment from the NFL.
Belton is currently in his fourth season with the Giants. He’s played all nine games for New York this season, registering 58 combined tackles (25 solo), two pass defenses and one forced fumble.
The fourth-year safety, however, is now facing a potential fine for his actions in Sunday’s loss. The incident came at the 6:11 mark of the fourth quarter. As McCaffrey charged through the middle, the Niners star was stopped by Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke for a four-yard gain. Belton was flagged for an infraction after he extended his leg as McCaffrey was going down.
The game official caught the play and immediately threw a flag for tripping, resulting in a 15-yard penalty in favor of San Francisco.
According to the NFL’s rulebook, tripping is defined as “the use of the leg or foot to obstruct any opponent, including a runner.” The penalty is a loss of 15 yards and is an automatic first down. Moreover, tripping is a violation that automatically triggers a review by the league.
Belton is now facing a potential $12,172 fine for his foul on McCaffrey. A second offense will carry a fine of $17,968.
It is worth noting that Belton has already been fined in the past. In 2023, he was fined $5,923 for unsportsmanlike conduct in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The NFL announces its gameday accountability update every Saturday, which is when Belton will learn if he has been fined for his actions against McCaffrey in the Giants-49ers game.
Quinnen Williams trade backlash shows why Cowboys still can't beat Howie Roseman
The Dallas Cowboys came out big winners of the NFL trade deadline. That is the consensus feeling among Cowboys fans, which says a lot given how low the vibes were after Monday's embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
However, you can't open social media without a national NFL writer absolutely eviscerating the Cowboys for trading for Jets star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. ESPN's Seth Walder gave Dallas an "F" grade for the move, and he wasn't alone. The general sentiment is that Jerry Jones overpaid for Williams and should've held onto his draft picks.
Meanwhile, the media couldn't help but throw praise at Eagles general manager Howie Roseman's feet after he traded for Jets nickel cornerback Michael Carter, who is currently Pro Football Focus' 111th-ranked cornerback with a 37.6 coverage grade.
But that doesn’t matter, because everything Roseman touches turns to gold. And everything the Cowboys touch obviously expired nine months ago.
Anti-Cowboys bias taken to a new level after Dallas' Quinnen Williams trade
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) November 5, 2025.@DannyParkins thinks the Cowboys trade was motivated by Jerry Jones wanting the media to talk about them:
“Accept what you are in the moment… This is a middling team at best. So to give up significant future capital for the guy to join the 11-seed doesn’t make sense.” pic.twitter.com/qNPMP9j6mh
The Cowboys are simply never going to win the media war. Not while Jerry Jones is running the franchise like a business, and certainly not until they win deep into January.
There is clearly -- and understandably -- a Jerry Jones fatigue within the national media. Just imagine how Cowboys fans feel. But that has seemingly disoriented the national media from dishing out praise when it's earned. The Quinnen Williams trade absolutely fills that bill.
Was it an overpay? Sure, but isn't that the business of trading for premier players? It's a trade that both the Cowboys and Jets should've made 100 times out of 100. Dallas isn't renting Williams, and the trade wasn't made to salvage the 2025 season, another misconception from the media (see the above clip from
RELATED: Cowboys' unsung hero is the real MVP of blockbuster Quinnen Williams trade
Could you imagine the reaction if Roseman paid the same price for Williams? He'd be given a police escort to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But the Cowboys did it, so it's obviously an indefensible overpay driven by delusion and a perpetual need to be relevant.
The Cowboys have many holes in their defense, but they need top players first and foremost. A three-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro, Williams can be a cornerstone player for the next three years while the Dak Prescott window is still open. Adding a true force multiplier on the defensive line is a great place to start, and Dallas managed to keep both of its 2026 first-round picks.
Turning around the defense will require good drafting and spending in free agency, but the Cowboys have managed to save close to $70 million in cap space in the Williams-Micah Parsons swap, with a potential $21 million added if they release Kenny Clark in the offseason.
None of that matters if Dallas doesn't spend, but that should change in a big way in 2026. Why else would they trade for Williams?
It is OK to admit that Jerry Jones did really well on Tuesday. One day of giving Jones his flowers won't tank your ratings and engagement.
