The New York Giants are officially moving on from their starting quarterback of six seasons.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on X Friday that Daniel Jones had requested to be released by the team.
Not long after, team owner John Mara released a statement announcing that he had granted Jones’ request.
“We mutually agreed [releasing him] would be best for him and for the team,” the statement reads in part. “…We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
Jones was benched by head coach Brian Daboll as the team exited its Week 11 bye and demoted to third string as emergency quarterback Tommy DeVito was promoted to starter ahead of backup Drew Lock.
The move was likely made primarily to avoid him getting injured during what have become non-meaningful games. The Giants are 2-8 and do not want to trigger Jones’ $23M injury guarantee in 2025.
Releasing Jones now was beneficial to both him and the team, as it allows the 27-year-old to seek a new team (once he clears waivers) instead of enduring humiliation deep on the bench. The team also saves $30.5M that would’ve been paid to Jones next season, but a bonus dead cap hit of $22.2M still remains, per Spotrac.
Jones was seen practicing Thursday as the fourth-string quarterback, behind Tim Boyle. He then stepped up to the podium to deliver a thankful statement about his tenure as the Giants’ starter.
“The opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true,” Jones said.
Ultimately, he went 24-44-1 under center for New York, but it was his 3-13 record after signing a four-year, $160M extension in 2022 that drew the ire of fans and scrutiny of pundits.
He leaves the organization as the quarterback with the fifth-most passing yards in franchise history and the first to win a playoff game since Eli Manning led the team to victory in Super Bowl XLVI.
