After six seasons with the Giants, Daniel Jones is officially leaving New York following a single practice as the scout-team safety and an emotional farewell statement.
The Giants announced Friday that they have granted Jones’ request for release.
“Daniel approached me this morning and asked if we would release him,” owner John Mara stated. “We both agreed that it was the best decision for him and the team. Daniel has been a tremendous representative of our organization, conducting himself with class throughout his tenure. His professionalism yesterday was another example of that. While we are disappointed with how things turned out, we have immense respect for Daniel and appreciate everything he has done. We wish him all the best moving forward.”
Jones’ departure seemed inevitable after his statement following Thursday’s practice. Despite being a former first-round pick and signing a four-year, $160 million extension, he struggled in 2024, losing his starting role. Coach Brian Daboll officially benched him earlier in the week, demoting him to QB4 behind the recently acquired Tim Boyle.
His performance was the primary reason for his demotion. The Giants’ offense has been the lowest-scoring unit in the league, averaging just 15.6 points per game. Jones’ struggles became more evident in recent weeks, including a costly two-interception performance in an overtime loss to the Panthers in Week 10.
Financial considerations also played a role. While his salary and bonuses were fully guaranteed in 2023 and 2024, only $23 million of his 2025 salary was guaranteed in case of injury. If the Giants planned to part ways with him after the season, minimizing injury risk became crucial, leading to his slide down the depth chart.
Jones’ release request was not necessary, but after drawing attention for his diminished practice role and delivering a composed post-practice statement, he decided it was best to move on and explore his future in the NFL. His departure concludes a career in New York that began with early struggles but included a playoff run in 2022 under Daboll. That season, Jones led the Giants to a postseason victory over the Vikings, convincing the team to give him a lucrative extension—one that ultimately factored into his exit.
However, the following two seasons failed to replicate that success. Jones’ performance steadily declined, and the Week 10 loss to Carolina solidified Daboll’s decision to bench him, effectively ending his time in New York.
“Daniel and I had a great conversation,” Daboll said Friday. “I have a lot of respect for him. This isn’t the outcome we wanted, but he has been a consummate professional since I’ve worked with him. He’s a great young man.”
Daboll informed the team of Jones’ release before Friday’s walkthrough in preparation for Week 12 against Tampa Bay.
Jones will now go through waivers, though any team claiming him would have to take on the remaining $11.83 million guaranteed for 2024, making a claim unlikely, according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
By leaving now, Jones escapes the intense scrutiny of the New York media, giving himself time to reset before seeking his next opportunity. Meanwhile, the Giants move forward without the lingering questions about his future, with Tommy DeVito now taking over as the starting quarterback. At 2-8, Daboll faces increasing pressure to prove he deserves to remain the team’s head coach over the final seven weeks of the season.
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