CNN
—
Daniel Jones’ time with the Giants in the Big Apple is over.
After six inconsistent seasons, the No. 6 overall pick from the 2019 NFL draft no longer leads one of the league’s most high-profile franchises.
According to New York Giants President John Mara, Jones asked to be released from the team on Friday morning, and the two agreed that the split would be the right move for both the club and the previous face of the franchise.
“Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way,” Mara said in a statement.
Earlier, Jones had been relegated from starter to the third-string quarterback after the Giants opened the season with just two wins in 10 games.
Jones foreshadowed the breakup when he spoke to the media on Thursday.
“There have been some great times, but of course, we all wish there had been more of those,” Jones said.
“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.”
Mara said he respected how the 27-year-old coped with the decision.
“His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out,” Mara said.
“We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
On Monday, Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll named Tommy DeVito, somewhat of a cult hero to football fans, as QB No. 1 to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
“Got a lot of respect for him,” Daboll said about Jones Friday. “Not the way we wanted it to turn out by any stretch, but he’s been nothing but a pro since I’ve been here with him. He’s a great young man.”
The quarterback is now subject to waivers, but it’s unlikely a team would claim him and pick up the remainder of his reported four-year, $160 million contract. Jones is in the second year of that deal.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, if another NFL team were interested in signing Jones, the new club would be on the hook for the remaining $11,833,333 the quarterback is guaranteed to make in 2024.
The Giants drafted Jones out of Duke in 2019, and he was the second quarterback selected in that year’s player draft, along with Kyler Murray, the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, who went first overall to the Cardinals.
Jones played in 70 games with a record of 24-45-1.
Months after signing a new contract in 2023, he tore the ACL in his right knee mid-season.
Jones said he wasn’t ready to stop playing.
“I’m excited for the next opportunity. I know there is a lot of good football in front of me and I’m excited about that.”