New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is set to play against the Houston Texans on Saturday. This will be his first game since he injured his right knee severely in early November.
Jones has spent the past eight months recovering from knee surgery he had around Thanksgiving. He was injured on November 5 during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
His recovery went well, allowing him to attend team activities and mandatory minicamp in the spring. Since training camp started on July 24, he has been participating in first-team practices.
Although he didn’t play in the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, Jones is excited about playing in Houston.
“It’s exciting,” Jones said Thursday after the Giants’ final practice of the week. “I’ll be excited to be out there again, just going through the game routine, the pregame, getting out there, playing, in front of a crowd. I think, you know, all that’s exciting.”
Jones is aware that players returning from injuries are always eager to see how they handle their first hit. While he hopes to avoid any hits during his first game back without his red non-contact jersey, he feels confident about his knee.
“I think I’ve tested it,” he said. “I’ve tested it in practice, tested in my rehab and workouts, and feel like it’s in a good place. So yeah, I’m confident my knee will be ready to go.”
Jones also isn’t worried about his neck, which caused him to miss three games last season after an injury against Miami. He played only six games last season, finishing with 108 completions on 160 attempts for 909 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. The Giants ended that season with a 6-11 record.
This season follows a strong performance in 2022, where Jones led the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016. He was given a four-year, $160 million contract after that successful year.
Jones has shown good moments in practice and has regained his running ability. While his play has been inconsistent at times, he has made some impressive throws to first-round pick Malik Nabers and second-year player Jalin Hyatt.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said he wants Jones to experience working with the offense in game situations.
“He’s played a lot of football,” Kafka said. “He’s a veteran guy, so it’s nothing about that part of it. It’s more just the group, our offense kind of getting together and working together, communicating all the things that we’ve been stressing all offseason.”
Jones isn’t sure how long he will play, as that decision is up to coach Brian Daboll. He also isn’t sure how long he’ll keep his new beard.
“I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the beard. It’s not a new me, but we’ll see,” he said.
The Giants’ quarterback situation is uncertain this week. Backup Drew Lock injured his hip in the first quarter against Detroit, and Tommy DeVito played the rest of the game. Lock didn’t practice this week, so DeVito will get most of the work.
Tight end Tyree Jackson, who was supposed to be the emergency quarterback, left practice with a left foot injury.
On Thursday, the Giants made a few roster moves. They ended the contract of defensive back Jalen Mills after he failed his physical. Mills had been on the non-football injury list since camp began. The Giants signed running back Josh Kelley and safeties Jonathan Sutherland and Raheem Layne.
Additionally, Dallas traded for veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and a seventh-round draft pick in 2026 from the Giants in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026.
