Daniel Jones will be headed to the bench and likely won't start another game for the Giants.
Coming off a bye week at the end of another lost season, the Giants decided to bench Jones and install fan favorite Tommy DeVito as their starting quarterback, the Post confirmed.
Former general manager Dave Gettleman once said it would take three years “to realize how crazy I was” before drafting Jones sixth overall in 2019. It took twice as long as Gettleman expected and required many excuses. , but the six-year Jones era is likely over.
For the Giants (2-8), it would be short-sighted to use Jones for the remaining seven games, including Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.
DeVito, a fan favorite who went 3-3 as a rookie starter last season, will play out the rest of the season and help decide whether the Giants draft him in the top 10 in 2025.
The Giants bypassed second-stringer Drew Lock all season to acquire DeVito.
The four-year, $160 million extension that Jones signed after a timely end to his career in 2022 was highlighted by his stellar performance in the Giants' only playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI in 2011. This included a $23 million injury guarantee.
If he gets injured and fails to pass a physical by March, the Giants' salary cap hit when they release him goes from a manageable $22 million to an unmanageable $45 million. Jump up.
But general manager Joe Schon said last week that benching the frequently injured Jones was a “football decision” and not strictly a business decision.
Since Jones signed the extension, the Giants are 3-13 in 16 starts. He has recorded 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.
By comparison, the Giants are 5-6 with 13 touchdown passes and six interceptions in that span when other players (Tyrod Taylor and DeVito) start. Those 11 starts came when offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was calling the plays, but now head coach Brian Daboll will be in DeVito's ear.
With Giants fans lashing out on social media and booing him at home games, it became clear that Jones was done for, even though he was far from the team's only flaw. As has always been the case during Jones' tenure, the Giants' offense is one of the lowest scoring in the NFL (15.6 points per game).
If Jones were to close, he would finish with a record of 24-44-1 with 70 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns, 51 fumbles (26 lost) and 47 interceptions.
He hasn't had a three-touchdown passing game since Week 16 of his rookie season.
Jones had three different head coaches (Pat Shermer, Joe Judge, Daboll) and five different offensive play callers (Shermer, Jason Garrett, Freddie Kitchens, Kafka, Daboll).
To replace Gettleman, Schoen rejected the fifth-year option on Jones' rookie contract before the 2022 season, but ultimately reversed course and gave him franchise quarterback money.
Jones and Dexter Lawrence, a 2019 first-round draft pick, are the Giants' longest-tenured players.
Lock, who will likely remain as Jones' backup, is 9-14 in his career as a starter, including 1-1 last season with the Seahawks. He appeared in one game this season.
