Daniel Jones is no longer with the New York Giants, but that didn’t stop him from getting in the Christmas spirit with his former teammates.
Jones, currently a member of the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad, sent all the offensive lineman that were on the Giants with him a limited-edition bottle of Clase Azul tequila for Christmas, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Jones, 27, was benched after the Giants' bye week and then asked for his release so he could sign with a contender for the rest of the season.
Jones was beloved by his Giants teammates in New York, many taking to social media to express their support for their former quarterback when he was released.
The Vikings signed Jones to their practice squad shortly after, giving Jones a chance to develop under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
It is commonplace for quarterbacks in the NFL to buy their offensive lineman gifts for Christmas as a thank-you for blocking for them.
However, it is not common for quarterbacks to buy gifts for their former teammates after joining a new team.
Since releasing Jones, the Giants have started Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock at quarterback.
The Giants are 2-12 and, with each loss, are getting closer to landing the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft, where they hope to select their next franchise quarterback.
Jones’ Vikings are in much better shape. The Detroit Lions and Vikings are both 12-2 with an eye on not only winning the NFC North but securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
As one former New York quarterback thrives in Minnesota, another stands on the sidelines now in a position he never thought he would be in after being drafted sixth overall in 2019.
Daniel Jones' time with the New York Giants ended unceremoniously when he was released after a 2-8 start this season, leaving him to find a new home in the NFL for the first time in six years.
Weighing his options, Jones decided to take the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad quarterback role, calling it an "awesome opportunity" to work with head coach Kevin O'Connell and starter Sam Darnold, the ex-New York Jet whose career has been revitalized this season.
Could that be what Jones is looking for with the Vikings after watching Darnold regain his confidence and lead a team to an 11-2 record?
Vikings legend Kyle Rudolph, an ex-teammate of Jones' during their year together with the Giants, said that could be the plan after spending time with Jones two weekends ago before, during and after the team's win over the Arizona Cardinals.
"He’s excited to be in that environment in Minnesota," Rudolph told Fox News Digital while also touching on his surprise at two Minnesota military veterans after teaming up with Polaris and Call of Duty in Week 13. "To be around Kevin O’Connell, Josh McCown, the quarterbacks coach, to be able to kind of take a back seat and learn and really try to reestablish himself as a top-10 pick. A good quarterback in this league and a guy who, by the way, won a playoff game in that building and went to the divisional round."
Jones broke out in that 2022 season that Rudolph referenced, which included the Wild Card Round victory on the road at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Kirk Cousins-led Vikings. It ultimately led to a decision from the Giants to extend Jones long term, believing he had proved himself worthy of a new contract to remain the team's franchise quarterback.
That didn't work out, however, as the Giants released him this season before they had the opportunity to opt out of his deal. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley, who was franchise-tagged after Jones got his big deal, is having an MVP season with the Philadelphia Eagles in his first year after walking in free agency.
But while the Giants stew over their next quarterback amid a terrible campaign, Jones perhaps has found new life in Minnesota.
"What’s to keep DJ from being next year’s Baker Mayfield [or] Sam Darnold?" Rudolph said.
"It’s a huge reason why he chose to go to Minnesota, knowing that there might be an opportunity for me in the future."
For Darnold, he signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Vikings this past offseason, knowing it would be a quarterback competition with rookie J.J. McCarthy, the team's first-rounder out of Michigan. But when McCarthy went down with a knee injury, Darnold knew he needed to step up for the Vikings all season, not just Week 1 when he won the starting job out of training camp.
He's done just that with an 11-2 record through 13 games while putting up career numbers. Remember, this is a quarterback who flopped as the third overall pick with the New York Jets, couldn't stick with the Carolina Panthers and was in the same role Jones is now with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.
Meanwhile, Mayfield was also in Carolina with Darnold after his tenure as the first overall pick and hopeful savior of the Cleveland Browns flamed out. Mayfield bounced around the NFL until the Bucs gave him a similar deal in 2023 that Darnold has now. Mayfield not only proved he could win in Tampa Bay – he beat the Eagles in the Wild Card Round on his home turf, solidifying his role as the team's franchise quarterback – he got a three-year, $100 million extension to show for it.
Rudolph said Darnold has earned that big extension with more games still to play, and Jones could do the same with the Vikings, a team Rudolph doesn't think would want to spend big bucks on Darnold, knowing that McCarthy is waiting in the wings.
"In today’s world, these young quarterbacks don’t have to play in their first two years," Rudolph said. "J.J.’s going through what he’s going through with his knee injury, and ultimately, yes, they’ll compete if DJ decides to stay there next year. He has a great opportunity to go out, and it just takes one year."
For now, though, Rudolph knows Jones is itching to get back on the field, but he's playing his role well in his first few weeks with Minnesota.
"I think the biggest challenge for DJ is he’s always been the man. He was the sixth overall pick and quarterback for the New York Giants," Rudolph said. "This past Sunday, he watched the game from the sidelines as the practice squad quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. That’s not easy. As a competitor, I know talking to him, he was like, ‘Man, I just felt useless standing there basically watching a game.’ It’s part of the process."
GIVING BACK TO VETERANS
Rudolph got to watch Darnold & Co. collect their Week 13 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the Twin Cities, where he also surprised two Minnesota veterans with Polaris RZR Pro R vehicles during the Dec. 1 Salute to Service game.
Rudolph leveraged his fundraising platform, Alltroo, and teamed up with Polaris and Call of Duty for this special surprise.
"Two Minnesota native Marine Corps gentlemen, they almost felt like they were undeserving of such an incredible honor because they’re like, ‘There’s so many others who have done what I’ve done and deserve it more than I do.’ They couldn’t believe that they were the two who were chosen to receive these Polaris RZRs," Rudolph said.
The veterans also played the brand-new "Call of Duty Black Ops 6" video game with Vikings defenders Pat Jones II and Ivan Pace Jr.
And through March 1, 2025, Rudolph said football fans can enter at Alltroo for a chance to win a Polaris RZR Pro R through donations that benefit Call of Duty Endowment, a program that helps place veterans in high-quality careers and supports veteran well-being.
Daniel Jones opened up this week about his decision to sign with the Minnesota Vikings as a backup quarterback after he was released by the New York Giants following his own request.
Speaking to reporters on Friday for the first time since giving a farewell speech to the media in New York, Jones sounded enthusiastic about joining a new team and working under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
"Excited to be here, excited to be a Minnesota Viking – awesome opportunity. Just looking to help out and be a part of this team. We’ve got some great momentum going and just want to help out in any way I can."
Jones signed with the Vikings as a backup behind Sam Darnold, another former New York quarterback who left the city on a sour note after his tenure with the Jets ended.
When asked why Minnesota was the right fit among other teams searching for help at the quarterback position, Jones pointed specifically to the success the offense has seen this season.
"I think you look at, offensively, what they’ve been able to do. I think the system, coach O’Connell, his staff – just a lot of good things happening across the board as a team, as an organization, but on offense especially. Just excited to join that and help out wherever I can."
In his sixth season with the Giants, Jones requested to be released after he was benched in favor of third-string quarterback and fan-favorite, Tommy DeVito, which followed their 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
The Giants are 0-2 since parting ways, but Jones seems to have put the past to rest.
"It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks, for sure. Certainly a lot going on. At the end of the day, I’m excited to be here. This is an awesome opportunity," he said on Friday. "I’m looking forward to learning the system and building relationships with these guys and helping the team."
Daniel Jones' tumultuous tenure with the New York Giants came to an end last week. After initially benching the 2019 first-round draft pick, the franchise granted the quarterback's request for his release.
The decision to part ways with Jones was described as a mutual agreement, with Giants President and co-owner John Mara saying moving on from Jones "would be best for him and for the team." Jones cleared waivers in short order and landed with the Minnesota Vikings. He is expected to serve as a backup to starter Sam Darnold.
Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl winner and lead analyst for "NFL on FOX," was on the call for the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day game.
The Cowboys hosted the Giants, and, at one point during the broadcast, Brady shared his thoughts about Jones' unceremonious exit.
Brady suggested he would have handled the situation differently had he been in Jones' shoes.
"I don't know how that whole situation went down, but to think that you'd ask for a release from a team that committed a lot to you is maybe different than how I would've handled that," Brady said during Thursday's broadcast. "I always felt I wanted to get the trust and respect of my teammates regardless of the situation, knowing that I was trying to be the best I could for the team because that was the most important thing."
The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback acknowledged the unique challenges football players can face at different points of their careers but noted that helping any team he was on was always his top priority.
"There's just some different things that happen in the NFL," Brady said. "Everyone makes individual choices. I think we all, at points in our career, face different challenges. I faced them in college, and some things didn't go the way I wanted, but the people that mattered the most to me were the guys in the locker room. I showed up every day. I didn't care if they asked me to be scout team safety, be scout team quarterback. I was gonna do whatever I could to help the team win."
Shortly after Jones was benched, reports surfaced that the quarterback lined up as a scout team safety for the Giants' defense at practice. He was also seen participating in passing drills alongside veteran quarterback Tim Boyle, who is listed as the third string signal-caller on the Giants' depth chart.
The Giants lost 30-7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12, which marked the team's first game without Jones this season. Thursday's loss to the NFC East rival Cowboys dropped New York's record to 2-10.
Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has reportedly found a new home; a team that is contending for the playoffs and even the Super Bowl.
Jones is set to sign a deal with the Minnesota Vikings, FOX Sports reported Wednesday. He will be the backup to Sam Darnold, who is having a breakout season, and learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
The Vikings have been a surprise contender this season with Darnold under center. The veteran quarterback was thrust into the starting role as rookie J.J. McCarthy was sidelined for the season with a knee injury. Darnold has led the Vikings to a 9-2 record, only one game behind the Detroit Lions for the NFC North lead.
Jones’ run with the Giants came to an end last week. After he seemingly said goodbye at a press conference, team co-owner John Mara announced the team would be releasing him.
"Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him," Mara said in a statement on Friday. "We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team. Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that.
"We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Jones cleared waivers earlier this week and was free to sign with any team.
The Giants selected Jones with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 draft. He suffered a bunch of injuries during his time, but when he did play a season at full health, he guided the team to the playoffs and a postseason victory.
In 70 games, he had 14,582 passing yards and 70 touchdown passes.
Ryan Fitzpatrick suggests former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones "take the rest of the year off."
Jones' tumultuous tenure with the Giants ended after the team benched the 2019 first-round draft pick and granted Jones' request to be released.
The decision to part ways with Jones was described as a mutual agreement, and Giants President and co-owner John Mara said moving on from Jones "would be best for him and for the team." Now that Jones has cleared waivers, he can explore options in the free agent market.
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played for nine teams during his career, offered the former Giants signal-caller some advice.
While Jones is expected to draw interest from multiple teams, Fitzpatrick suggested the 27-year-old sit out for the remainder of the 2024 season and focus on finding a new home for 2025.
"I'm really happy that New York released him because I think it puts him out of his misery a little bit. They didn’t have to do that," Fitzpatrick said. "And my advice to him — I wouldn’t sign anywhere. I would just take the rest of the year."
Fitzpatrick also questioned the value of Jones landing with a team in 2024 that is effectively out of playoff contention.
"I don't think there's a reason to sign as a backup somewhere," he continued. "I don't think there’s a reason to sign on a bad team and go play more games."
Fitzpatrick said Jones has an opportunity to rejuvenate his career. If Jones lands in a good situation, Fitzpatrick appears confident his future could resemble Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold's resurgence.
"This is one of those moments where he truly gets to hit reset in his career, relax a little bit, take the offseason, find a good landing spot," Fitzpatrick said. "And he’s the type of guy that can land on his feet. He could have that Sam Darnold-type resurgence with the right scheme, with the right place, with the right coaches, but he’s got to play a lot better than he has."
The Giants lost 30-7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their first game without Jones this season.
The New York Giants released the sixth pick of the 2019 NFL Draft after he requested it; the Giants demoted Jones to QB4 this week.
Tommy DeVito got the nod, and he got a decent hand from the crowd, but the excitement was short-lived, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran them out of their own building with a 30-7 win.
The Bucs opened the game by scoring 30 unanswered points. Sean Tucker, Bucky Irving, and Baker Mayfield all rushed for touchdowns, and the quarterback let everyone know about it.
After Mayfield's touchdown, he gave the crowd the infamous Italian-hand gesture. DeVito made it a staple of his last year, instantly becoming a fan-favorite as a local kid of Italian descent.
The fans gave the hand gesture as DeVito took the field for the first time on Sunday – ask and you shall receive.
Giants team owner John Mara said the parties mutually agreed to let Jones go.
"Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future," Mara said in a statement.
Jones, less than two years after signing a four-year, $160 million deal, leaves the Giants with a 24-44-1 record in the regular season and 1-1 record in the playoffs.
The Giants are now 2-9 on the season as they continue the trek to the No. 1 pick in 2025.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
ESPN’s Elle Duncan did a segment on Thursday during "SportsCenter" that irked some within the New York Giants organization and its fans.
Duncan did a segment, ‘Taking the Elle,’ mocking Daniel Jones for reading a statement to begin what was essentially his goodbye press conference.
"We normally reserve ‘Taking the Elle’ for Fridays, but Giants quarterback Daniel Jones just did something so inexplicable that we made an exception. After being benched this week, Jones took to the podium to say goodbye to the franchise and fans but with, like, seven games left in the season," Duncan said in a mocking tone.
"I’m sorry, you have to write this down? Didn’t you go to Duke?" Duncan said incredulously.
"Do you guys think he had this saved in his notes since, like, 2020? In all seriousness, DJ, I could have saved you like 90 seconds. A re-write: ‘Sorry you paid me $108 million for one playoff win. And I look forward to reviving my career as Brock Purdy’s backup.’ The end," Duncan concluded.
Giants senior V.P. of communications Pat Hanlon took exception to Duncan’s segment, while also taking a shot at ESPN in a post on X on Thursday night.
"That an #ESPN personality would mock Daniel Jones’ statement today is mind boggling. Given what has happened at that company over past few years, tone deaf," Hanlon wrote.
The Giants agreed to release Jones on Friday, and during a rant bashing the Giants on "First Take," Stephen A Smith said the team had reached out to ESPN to complain about Duncan’s segment.
Duncan took to X on Saturday morning to clap back at some of the fans upset about her segment.
"It started flurrying this morning after a surprising amount of snow on my drive yesterday. I guess you could say I can’t seem to escape all these snowflakes.."
One X user responded to her tweet saying, "Doubling down on being classless suits you. Not a Giants fan but if this is where ‘sports media’ has fallen then you are perfect for the job."
Another X user piled on saying, "Enjoy your 15 mins of relevance before going back to obscurity by Sunday you hack."
Tommy DeVito will start for the Giants when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, while Drew Lock will be the backup quarterback.
Jones can sign with a team as early as Tuesday next week, once he clears waivers on Monday.
Saquon Barkley is hopeful that former teammate Daniel Jones can find the same success he did with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The New York Giants announced on Friday that they have agreed to cut Jones after the quarterback had requested the team release him just days after his being benched for third-string quarterback and fan favorite Tommy DeVito.
"Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him. We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team," President John Mara said in a statement.
"Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
The move didn’t come as a surprise as Jones has continued to struggle since signing a four-year, $160 million contract in 2023. In six seasons with the team, Jones managed to lead the Giants to a singular playoff win.
With Jones on the way out, former teammate Saquon Barkley was asked for his thoughts about the decision on Friday.
"I’m not gonna speak too much on that, I’ve been in contact with him. Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here. It sucks to see how everything went down for him over there."
"I’ve got nothing but great things to say about him. I think you’re not gonna really find anybody that can really say a lot of negative things about him. But it's the NFL. Hopefully, wherever he ends up next, they’re going to get a guy who comes in and works."
Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Eagles during the offseason after his tenure in New York began to sour as he attempted to negotiate a long-term deal.
The star running back, who has already surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and has 10 touchdowns this season, believes Jones can find that same success elsewhere.
"It didn’t work for me over there, and I’m doing well over here. And hopefully he can find the same kind of fresh start and success."
With Dak Prescott out for the season, the Dallas Cowboys have been starting Cooper Rush, leaving fans begging for Dallas to sign the new free agent.
And fans briefly thought they had their wish.
For a few moments after Jones was released, he oddly had his own player profile page included on the Dallas Cowboys' roster on the team's official website.
Perhaps it was a bug because the issue was resolved quickly. But the Cowboys have not responded to a request for comment about why it happened in the first place.
Nonetheless, many still want to see the Cowboys do the unthinkable, especially considering the two NFC East rivals play on Thanksgiving.
Added NFL Network's Michael Florio, "Daniel Jones clears waivers, signs with the Cowboys and we get Dimes vs Cutlets on Thanksgiving Who says no?"
Giants team owner John Mara said the parties mutually agreed to let Jones go.
"Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future," Mara said in a statement.
"There have been some great times, but of course we all wish there had been more of those. I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. Nobody wanted to win more games worse than me, and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation," Jones said Thursday after his final practice as a Giant.
"Of course, this season has been disappointing for all and, of course, I wish I could have done more. I'm 100% accountable for my part. I did not play well enough consistently enough to help the team get results."
Jones, less than two years after signing a four-year, $160 million deal, leaves the Giants with a 24-44-1 record in the regular season and 1-1 record in the playoffs.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
On Thursday, Jones opened his press conference with a written statement, bidding farewell to the Giants.
"The opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true. I’m extremely grateful to the Mara and Tisch families for the chance to play here. The Giants are truly a first-class organization, and I have nothing but genuine respect and appreciation for the people who have built it and the people who carry on that tradition," Jones’s statement began.
ESPN’s Elle Duncan mocked Jones for reading off a statement during a "Taking the Elle" segment on "SportsCenter" Thursday, a segment she normally does on Friday.
"We normally reserve ‘Taking the Elle’ for Fridays but Giants quarterback Daniel Jones just did something so inexplicable that we made an exception. After being benched this week, Jones took to the podium to say goodbye to the franchise and fans but with, like, seven games left in the season," Duncan said in a mocking tone.
"I’m sorry, you have to write this down? Didn’t you go to Duke?" Duncan said incredulously.
"Do you guys think he had this saved in his notes since, like, 2020? In all seriousness, DJ, I could have saved you like 90 seconds. A re-write: ‘Sorry you paid me $108 million for one playoff win. And I look forward to reviving my career as Brock Purdy’s backup.’ The end," Duncan concluded.
Giants senior V.P. of communications Pat Hanlon took exception to Duncan’s segment, while also taking a shot at ESPN in a post on X.
"That an #ESPN personality would mock Daniel Jones’ statement today is mind boggling. Given what has happened at that company over past few years, tone deaf," Hanlon wrote.
Hanlon did not further elaborate about "what has happened" at ESPN over the last few years.
During ESPN's "First Take" on Friday, Stephen A Smith said the Giants reached out to ESPN to complain about Duncan's segment.
Tommy DeVito is in line to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Drew Lock is the backup quarterback, with Tim Boyle likely serving as the emergency quarterback.
The Daniel Jones era has officially come to an end.
The New York Giants announced Friday morning that they released their former starting quarterback after he made the request. The request came just days after Jones was benched in favor of third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito.
"Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him. We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team," President John Mara said in a statement.
"Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Jones’ tenure in New York was a tumultuous one with more lows than highs. This week, head coach Brian Daboll announced that DeVito would be taking over, and Jones, in his sixth season with the organization, was reportedly expected to be fourth on the depth chart.
Just a day before his release was announced, Jones addressed the media for the first time since the benching. He expressed his disappointment with the decision and read a statement that sounded more like a goodbye.
"There have been some great times, but of course we all wish there had been more of those. I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. Nobody wanted to win more games worse than me and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation.
"Of course, this season has been disappointing for all and of course I wish I could have done more. I'm 100% accountable for my part. I did not play well enough consistently enough to help the team get results."
Jones, 27, was drafted by the Giants with the sixth overall pick in 2019. However, a lack of consistency over the years and a 3-13 record after signing a four-year, $160 million contract in 2023, prompted Friday’s decision.
Jones leaves the Giants with a 24-44-1 record in the regular season and 1-1 record in the playoffs.
Daniel Jones isn’t used to just sitting back and watching at New York Giants practices, but after being demoted coming out of the bye week, he understands his time as Big Blue’s franchise quarterback has come to an end after six seasons.
This certainly is not how Jones, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, wanted his Giants tenure to end – a lost 2-8 season where his play has not justified him starting the rest of the year.
But head coach Brian Daboll made it official, with Tommy DeVito elevated into the starting role and Jones moved all the way back to QB4 with the team bringing in veteran Tim Boyle.
Speaking for the first time since the move, Jones gave an opening statement to media members at the team’s facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he was nothing but a class act.
"The opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true," Jones began. "I’m extremely grateful to the Mara and Tisch families for the chance to play here. The Giants are truly a first-class organization, and I have nothing but genuine respect and appreciation for the people who have built it and the people who carry on that tradition.
"I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. No one wanted to win more games worse than me, and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation. Of course, this season has been disappointing for all and of course I wish I could’ve done more. I’m 100% accountable for my part. I did not play well enough, consistently enough to help the team get the results. The reality of the NFL is it’s hard to win games and requires consistent performance from everyone involved. We didn’t do that well enough, so the idea to change something happens and I understand.
"I love the game, I love being a part of the team, and I’m excited for the next opportunity. I know there’s a lot of good football in front of me and I’m excited about that. To all the fans, I have deep respect for your passion and love for the Giants. The fans are a huge part of what makes playing for the Giants so special."
The writing was on the wall for Jones after his mishaps against the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany were the last straws for Daboll, GM Joe Schoen and the rest of the organization.
Jones said that conversations were had between Schoen and his agents, where the Giants’ GM explained what the move was going to be. And Jones wasn’t going to be backing up DeVito, as he has a $23 million injury guarantee built into his contract that would come into effect if he were to get hurt.
That’s why the Giants brought in Boyle and are keeping Jones far away from anything that could possibly lead to an injury. Usually in these cases – look at the Las Vegas Raiders with Derek Carr – teams will allow the player to simply stay home and prepare for what’s to come with their next team.
For now, Jones is "still kinda processing" and wants to help.
"I’m doing the best I can to help Tommy prepare, help the team prepare and that’s what I’m going to do right now. Processing that, I think the decision was made and not playing," Jones said.
As for that injury guarantee, Jones didn’t say so directly, but it sounded like he was trying any way to stay on the field for the Giants. He was asked if he would waive the injury guarantee to get back on the field.
"I want to play. I want to be on the field," he said. "I think I tried to do as much as I could to make that possible and create a situation where we were both comfortable, but most of those discussions went on with my agent and with Joe. I want to play, I want to be on the field, but it’s an unfortunate business side of the game.
"I got the injury guarantee, so that’s that and I understand it. They don’t want to take any risk. So, yeah, at that point it’s just do as you’re told."
Despite his efforts, Jones will continue to sit in the back during practice sessions, and help out wherever he can. But he, like everyone else, knows his NFL future is elsewhere, which is emotional, especially when he hears the support from his teammates.
"I’ve created a lot of great relationships here with the guys here, and definitely appreciate the support," Jones said, choked up. "But it’s about the team and what’s best for the team. I know the guys will be ready to go, and Tommy will be ready to go this week."
No one seemed more surprised about the New York Giants' decision to start third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito this weekend over veteran backup Drew Lock than Drew Lock.
While addressing reporters inside the Giants' locker room Wednesday, Lock was asked specifically about the depth chart and why, if he was listed as the No. 2 quarterback up until this point, DeVito was named Sunday’s starter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"That's a question I might still have for myself," he responded.
"It was expressed to me that I was going to be the two, and, I don’t know, it's just an interesting situation. There’s not much I can really say about it besides, again, I’m going to be here for [DeVito], and we’re still communicating, still very good friends — believe it or not," he continued with a smile.
Daniel Jones was benched Monday in favor of fan favorite DeVito. Head coach Brian Daboll pointed to DeVito's 3-3 record last season as one of the reasons why.
"Got a lot of respect for all three of those guys," Daboll said. "After evaluating a bunch of things and looking at a lot of tape and being around Tommy last year, where he created a little bit of a spark for us, that's the reason why we're going with Tommy.
"Drew will be the backup. Continue to work with him. He's been nothing but a pro, and as was Daniel. It's never an easy conversation to have with the players. But felt like this was a necessary move for us and look forward to working with Tommy and getting him ready to go against Tampa."
Daboll said Wednesday the team will make a final decision by Friday on whether Jones will serve as the emergency third quarterback.
Jones has thrown for eight touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He is 3-13 in his last 16 starts, and New York ranks last in the league in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game.
Daniel Jones' New York Giants career is all but done after head coach Brian Daboll confirmed the man the franchise signed to be their long-term quarterback has been demoted to third string following the bye week.
Tommy DeVito, who won three games for New York in place of the injured Jones and Tyrod Taylor, was elevated to starting quarterback, leapfrogging Drew Lock, who was signed to a $5 million deal this offseason to be Jones' backup.
Daboll called benching the No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft a "hard decision," and it's one that has some Giants players confused, including defensive captain Dexter Lawrence.
"He's the QB1. To me, the best quarterback on the team," Lawrence said, via the New York Post, during a volunteering event at Community Food Bank of New Jersey on Tuesday. "But they see things differently. I guess that's all that matters."
Lawrence added that there was a "little bit of confusion," though he isn't sure what the conversations were like with the front office and coaching staff regarding the decision to demote Jones.
"I think we trust the coaches and where they’re going and where they think we can go," Lawrence explained. "That’s what you have to do. You have to be naive and trust the process. You think about the wrong s--- and then you start playing like s---."
Of course, Lawrence and Jones, both team captains, have developed a close friendship over the years, with the former calling the latter his "best friend." So, when Lawrence, arguably the best defensive tackle in the game, sees his best friend benched, he's going to defend him.
"It’s tough for that [benching] to happen," Lawrence said. "I can’t control it. They made the decision based off their evaluations, and thoughts and feelings. You’ve got to respect it as a player, even though you don’t like it. As a player, you have to keep playing. As a human and as a brother, I feel for him."
While Jones' work ethic has never been questioned, the results just haven't been there since he signed his four-year, $160 million extension two offseasons ago – an offseason that is now infamous as Saquon Barkley was franchised tagged and walked into free agency to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles before the start of this year.
Jones has gone 3-13 in the past two seasons, with 2023 ending early due to a season-ending knee injury. He also has the 32nd quarterback rating in the NFL (79.4) this season, and has thrown eight touchdowns to seven interceptions over 10 games.
The Giants' offense is the lowest-scoring unit in the league this season with Jones starting every contest.
Jones' benching is also a move for the front office to save money, as he has a $23 million injury guarantee built into the contract GM Joe Schoen signed off on in 2023. That won't activate, and with an opt-out built in after two years, the Giants are expected to release him after the 2024 campaign comes to a close.
"He’s strong. He gets the business side of it," Lawrence said of how Jones has handled the news of the benching. "I guess they talked about it. He obviously doesn’t like the choice that was made. But he has to live with it, and I think he’ll grow through it."
But, at the same time, Lawrence knows that "teams lose games, not just one player," and the Giants have the league's worst rushing defense – an area they wanted to clean up after struggling in that department last season as well. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who was previously with the Tennessee Titans, was brought in because of his success in that area, but it hasn't worked out thus far.
The reality of the Giants' situation is that the rebuild continues, and once again, they find themselves needing someone else to be their franchise quarterback. They thought that's what Jones was following a great 2022 campaign that saw them not only make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but defeat the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round.
Instead, they will look to free agency and the NFL Draft to see if there's a new signal caller that can get them out of the rut they've been snuck in for most of Jones' Giants career.
