Giants Returner Literally Had the Paint Knocked Off His Helmet in Brutal Collision

The Patriots took on the Giants at Gillette Stadium for this week’s edition of Monday Night Football and it was a physical game from the very first snap. New York quarterback Jaxson Dart, back in action after spending the last two games in concussion protocol, took a couple of big hits in the first half, including one that sent him airborne and sparked a scuffle between the two sides. Later, the Giants would score their first touchdown of the night following a violent helmet-to-helmet collision by Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins on tight end Theo Johnson.

But the biggest hit of the night came in the second quarter. The Patriots kicked off after going up 24-7 on the visitors. Giants returner Gunner Olszewski fielded the kick and Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss absolutely laid him out in a brutal collision. It was also a helmet-to-helmet hit, and it was so violent the paint on Olszewski’s helmet went flying. He fumbled as a result and New England recovered.

Here’s the hit:

Christian Elliss is seeing red tonight.

First Jaxson Dart, then Gunner Olszewski.pic.twitter.com/X98ZkAGkGE
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) December 2, 2025

And here’s the replay where you can see the paint go flying off.

Olszewski takes a hard helmet to helmet hit pic.twitter.com/1eVUMU3aVI
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) December 2, 2025

Close-ups of Olszewski’s helmet showed the “N” of the “NY” on his helmet was completely missing after the violent collision.

Part of Gunner Olszewski's helmet decal came off after taking a hit to the head on the kickoff return.

He was helped off the field after the play. pic.twitter.com/nyXKDbHcDO
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 2, 2025

As seen above, Olszewski had to be helped off the field by the Giants’ medical staff and looked quite shaken up. ESPN’s broadcast noted the sequence did not qualify for a helmet-to-helmet hit because Olszewski was a runner on the play.

It’s not every day you see a hit so hard it damages a helmet. It’s the second big hit of the night for Elliss, too; he was also the one that drilled Dart on the sideline earlier and caused the aforementioned scuffle.

The Giants’ defense was able to limit the Patriots to a field goal on the ensuring possession to make the score 27-7 at the two-minute warning; New England added another field goal to go up 30-7 at halftime. Olszewski, meanwhile, was being evaluated for a concussion.