Giants Bench Daniel Jones, Signifying the End of an Era

In a move that many have anticipated for the last few weeks, the New York Giants have decided to bench quarterback Daniel Jones for the remainder of the season. The decision to bench Jones likely signals the end of his tenure as a New York Giant, as the team can elect to cut him at a financial gain after this season. For fans like myself, it’s a bittersweet situation—one that creates excitement for what’s next while also reminding us of what could have been.

It’s fitting that Jones' first game on the bench would be against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the same team he made his initial start against in 2019 as a rookie. A four-touchdown game that sparked optimism all those years ago is now a distant reminder of how quickly things can change at the NFL level. Regardless of the emotions tied to the situation, one thing remains true: Jones has never lived up to the sixth overall pick that was used to draft him. The former Duke QB has more turnovers than games played over his career and has only managed one playoff victory during that time. Thus, the decision by General Manager Joe Schoen to extend Jones for $160 million after the 2022 playoffs is a true head-scratcher.

At the time, the contract was justified by his play, despite him having a mediocre season by league standards with 3,200 yards and 15 passing touchdowns. In hindsight, it’s clear that Jones was never the option moving forward for New York, as the QB failed to surpass the 24 passing touchdowns he tossed as a rookie. Jones has thrown 70 touchdowns over the course of his career while also turning the ball over 73 times. Evidently, that is not the ratio you want for a $160 million quarterback leading your franchise.

When looking at the numbers and film, it’s hard to imagine another scenario like this in the NFL ever coming to fruition again. Jones received a very loose leash over his career, largely contributing to the fans' ever-growing willingness to move on from him after six unsuccessful seasons. With him now firmly out of the picture regarding the future of the Giants' franchise, the focus shifts to what’s next. What’s next for Jones? What’s next for the Giants' quarterback situation? These are questions we won’t know until this season concludes. It’s time for change, and as a fan, I believe it would be better for all parties to move on and enter the next chapter. Tommy DeVito will get the start for this week's upcoming game against the Buccaneers at 1 o’clock.