The Daniel Jones era with the New York Giants has come to an end.
The team released the quarterback on Friday, just days after announcing that he would be benched in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito.
“Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him,” said Giants president John Mara in a statement. “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.”
Mara also expressed disappointment about the quick end to their relationship with Jones, who had signed a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023 after leading the Giants to the playoffs.
“We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him,” Mara added. “We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
Jones, 27, spoke to reporters on Thursday, saying that he gave everything he had after being selected as the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft. He still believes he has a future in the NFL and took responsibility for the Giants’ (2-8) playoff appearance during his time as the starting quarterback.
Jones was thrust into the starting role early in his rookie season when coach Pat Shurmur benched two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, who was nearing the end of his career.
Head coach Brian Daboll decided to bench Jones after the Giants returned from their bye week following a 20-17 overtime loss to Carolina in Germany.
Tommy DeVito is set to start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Daboll hoping he can help spark the team.
“Definitely not happy about it,” said Jones, who read a 90-second statement before answering questions from reporters. “Yeah, not what you want to hear.
So, yeah, all those emotions you have. But at the end of the day, this is football. We’re in a business where you’re expected to get results and we weren’t doing it.”
Now free to sign with any team, Jones ended his time in New York with a 24-44-1 record as the starting quarterback after being drafted sixth overall in 2019. Many of his victories came in 2022 when the Giants finished 9-7-1 and won a playoff game against Minnesota.
However, any progress made in 2022 quickly faded in 2023. New York was 1-5 in Jones’ six starts during an injury-plagued season, and his performance continued to decline this fall.
Jones completed 63% of his passes, throwing eight touchdowns and seven interceptions, even with dynamic rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. The Giants are ranked last in the NFL in scoring, and with public support for Jones fading, Daboll decided to make a change while Jones looks for a fresh start with another team.
