PRO FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : Giants’ Banks Arrested After Family Dispute

New York Giant linebacker Carl Banks said that a family dispute that led to his arrest was a minor problem that was blown out of proportion.

Banks was arrested around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday and charged with criminal mischief under the Domestic Violence Act, said Watchung, N.J., police Lt. Robert Reilly.

Referee Tom Dooley and his crew reportedly were reprimanded by the NFL for failing to penalize the Cincinnati Bengals for an illegal substitution Nov. 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steeler Coach Chuck Noll said the league has been lax in enforcing a rule that permits defenses reasonable time to make a substitution when the offense changes players.

The NFL’s supervisor of officials, Art McNally, said the rules require officials to warn the offensive coach for the first violation, then penalize the team 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for every subsequent violation.