After falling behind 28-3 in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants decided to make a change.
Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss, the Giants benched starting quarterback Daniel Jones and replaced him with backup Drew Lock. However, head coach Brian Daboll told reporters after the game that Jones will remain the team’s starter.
Brian Daboll says Daniel Jones will be the Giants’ QB moving forward pic.twitter.com/7g2Qe7dkTr
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 20, 2024
Daniel Jones watching from the sidelines as Drew Lock is now in at QB. pic.twitter.com/tEcDcrCuFr
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024
Still, NFL fans were quick to react to Jones being benched, trolling the quarterback after a disappointing outing:
Jones was 14-of-21 for 99 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions before exiting the game. He carried the ball five times for 20 yards, but he was sacked seven times, marking a season-high.
Through the first six games of the season, Jones was solid but unspectacular. He entered Sunday’s matchup with 1,343 passing yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 62.1 of his passes, his lowest completion percentage since his second NFL season in 2020. He’s failed to elevate the Giants this season, as the team is on its way to falling to 2-5 and remaining in last place in the NFC East.
The Giants and Eagles began the game locked in a defensive battle before Philadelphia found its groove in the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns. Former New York running back Saquon Barkley showed his former team what it’s missing with a scintillating performance in his return to MetLife Stadium, rushing for a season-high 176 yards with a touchdown on just 17 carries.
Still, Jones will be the topic of conversation after the game, as Sunday’s benching raises questions about his future with the Giants. If he doesn’t improve his performance over the remainder of the season, New York could choose to cut or trade him before a chunk of his salary for the 2025 season becomes fully guaranteed.
