The New York Giants have churned through quarterbacks over the last few years. Things got rocky with Daniel Jones in 2023, followed by a tumultuous 2024 campaign that culminated in his release mid-season.
Jones signed with the Minnesota Vikings shortly after his release from New York and spent the remainder of the 2024 season working, learning, and developing behind the scenes.
Now, Jones is starting for the Indianapolis Colts and has led them to a 4-1 start to the season. He is currently on pace to throw for over 4,300 passing yards and has a 6-2 TD-INT ratio in five starts.
Meanwhile, the 1-5 Giants have already benched Russell Wilson and turned things over to rookie QB Jaxson Dart — the team’s seventh starting quarterback since 2023.
In a recent interview on the “Fitz & Whit” podcast hosted by Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth, former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones got candid about his time with Big Blue — and seemingly took a shot at the team’s preparation (or lack thereof).
Daniel Jones disses the Giants while praising the Vikings and Colts in a recent interview
Whitworth asked Jones about the last couple of years of his career, going from the New York Giants to a brief stint as a backup with the Minnesota Vikings to now, finding success as the starting quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.
Daniel Jones, giants
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Jones had an interesting response in which he highlighted the eye-opening level of preparation he experienced while in Minnesota compared to his time with the New York Giants.
“I always thought I worked really hard. I tried to work really hard, and it was important to me to prepare, watch film, and study, and I think I did that,” Jones told Whitworth and Fitzpatrick of his time with the Giants (h/t @NYGCrush on X).
“But then, going to Minnesota, I saw how Sam [Darnold] prepared, how Kevin [O’Connell] prepared those guys, Josh McCown, Grant Udinski, that crew and how detailed they were, day in and day out on every little bit of the plan and how they’re going to study it, what they’re looking for, walking through it, quizzing each other in the quarterback room.
“That made a big impression on me, and I was like, ‘OK, this is maybe the next level of some of that stuff.’ And I think that change… Kevin, how aggressive he was in the playcalling, you guys see it. It’s play fast, but it’s a lot of dropback shots, taking their chances. And that made an impression on me, too. So, I think several things like that, and being around those guys.”
Jones’s glowing appraisal of the Vikings can easily be interpreted as a shot at the Giants. Whitworth directly asked him to compare his time in New York to his time in Minnesota, and Jones was quick to highlight the improved preparation he had experienced under O’Connell and the Vikings’ staff.
Jones is thriving while the Giants are sinking
Under head coach Brian Daboll, seven different quarterbacks have started for the Giants since 2023. The latest is rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who fans are worried about, given this regime’s inability to develop quarterback talent in recent years.
Jaxson Dart, NFL: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints
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Jones is playing the best football of his career after being released by the Giants — similar to how Saquon Barkley reached new historic heights in his first season with a new team, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl last season.
This is just another embarrassing development for the Giants. Jones, their former franchise quarterback, who they benched, released, and blamed the offense’s problems on, is thriving in Indianapolis.
Meanwhile, the Giants benched Russell Wilson after just three starts, and currently have the No. 28th-ranked offense in the league in terms of points per game.
Daboll’s seat is hotter than ever.