In a stunning turn of events, the New York Giants have demoted starting quarterback Daniel Jones to third-string after a disappointing 2-8 start to the season. Head coach Brian Daboll announced on Monday that fan favorite Tommy DeVito will take over as the starter in Week 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with veteran Drew Lock serving as the backup.
The move comes less than two years after the Giants signed Jones to a massive four-year, $160 million contract extension following a surprising playoff appearance in 2022. However, the 27-year-old has struggled mightily this season, throwing just eight touchdown passes against seven interceptions while leading an offense that ranks dead last in the NFL in scoring at a paltry 15.6 points per game.
A Fall From Grace
Jones’s benching marks a stunning fall from grace for the former first-round pick out of Duke. After a promising rookie season in 2019, Jones battled injuries and inconsistency over the next two years before seemingly putting it all together in 2022. That season, he threw for 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions while rushing for another seven scores, leading the Giants to a wild card berth.
But the magic of 2022 has been nowhere to be found this year. Playing behind a porous offensive line, Jones has looked skittish in the pocket and hesitant to push the ball downfield. His completion percentage has plummeted from a career-high 67.2% in 2022 to just 59.8% this season, and he’s already been sacked 28 times through 10 games.
Daboll’s Decision
For Daboll, who was hired in 2022 after helping develop Josh Allen into a superstar with the Buffalo Bills, the decision to bench Jones was a difficult but necessary one.
“Obviously, we’re not playing the way any of us want to play, and that’s on all of us,” Daboll said. “But we felt like this was a decision we needed to make to try to spark things, change things up.”
According to a source close to the situation, Daboll and Jones had a frank conversation before the move was announced to the team. Jones, who has two years and $80 million remaining on his contract, expressed his desire to remain the starter, but ultimately accepted Daboll’s decision.
DeVito’s Opportunity
Enter Tommy DeVito, the undrafted rookie out of Illinois who won the hearts of Giants fans with his gritty play in relief of an injured Jones last season. Nicknamed “Tommy Cutlets” for his working-class New Jersey roots, DeVito went 3-3 as a starter in 2023, throwing for 1,227 yards and six touchdowns.
While DeVito may lack Jones’s raw talent, he brings a certain moxie and swagger to the huddle that his teammates seem to respond to. He’ll have his work cut out for him trying to jump-start a moribund Giants offense, but Daboll is confident the young signal-caller is up to the task.
“Tommy’s had more than 700 snaps between the preseason and his starts last year,” Daboll said. “He’s practiced well, and he has a greater knowledge of the offense in his second season. We’ll do everything we can to get him ready.”
An Uncertain Future
As for Jones, his future with the Giants looks increasingly uncertain. By benching him for the final seven games, the team is clearly trying to avoid an injury that would trigger $23 million in guaranteed money for next season.
With New York likely headed for a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, many expect the Giants to target one of the top quarterback prospects, such as USC’s Carson Palmer III or Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins Jr. While this year’s quarterback class is not considered to be particularly deep, the Giants may have no choice but to hit the reset button at the game’s most important position.
For now, all eyes will be on DeVito as he tries to provide a much-needed spark for a Giants team that has lost five straight games. If he can recapture some of the magic from his rookie season, perhaps he can give the franchise something to build around heading into an offseason full of difficult decisions.
But the magic of 2022 has been nowhere to be found this year. Playing behind a porous offensive line, Jones has looked skittish in the pocket and hesitant to push the ball downfield. His completion percentage has plummeted from a career-high 67.2% in 2022 to just 59.8% this season, and he’s already been sacked 28 times through 10 games.
Daboll’s Decision
For Daboll, who was hired in 2022 after helping develop Josh Allen into a superstar with the Buffalo Bills, the decision to bench Jones was a difficult but necessary one.
“Obviously, we’re not playing the way any of us want to play, and that’s on all of us,” Daboll said. “But we felt like this was a decision we needed to make to try to spark things, change things up.”
According to a source close to the situation, Daboll and Jones had a frank conversation before the move was announced to the team. Jones, who has two years and $80 million remaining on his contract, expressed his desire to remain the starter, but ultimately accepted Daboll’s decision.
DeVito’s Opportunity
Enter Tommy DeVito, the undrafted rookie out of Illinois who won the hearts of Giants fans with his gritty play in relief of an injured Jones last season. Nicknamed “Tommy Cutlets” for his working-class New Jersey roots, DeVito went 3-3 as a starter in 2023, throwing for 1,227 yards and six touchdowns.
While DeVito may lack Jones’s raw talent, he brings a certain moxie and swagger to the huddle that his teammates seem to respond to. He’ll have his work cut out for him trying to jump-start a moribund Giants offense, but Daboll is confident the young signal-caller is up to the task.
“Tommy’s had more than 700 snaps between the preseason and his starts last year,” Daboll said. “He’s practiced well, and he has a greater knowledge of the offense in his second season. We’ll do everything we can to get him ready.”
An Uncertain Future
As for Jones, his future with the Giants looks increasingly uncertain. By benching him for the final seven games, the team is clearly trying to avoid an injury that would trigger $23 million in guaranteed money for next season.
With New York likely headed for a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, many expect the Giants to target one of the top quarterback prospects, such as USC’s Carson Palmer III or Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins Jr. While this year’s quarterback class is not considered to be particularly deep, the Giants may have no choice but to hit the reset button at the game’s most important position.
For now, all eyes will be on DeVito as he tries to provide a much-needed spark for a Giants team that has lost five straight games. If he can recapture some of the magic from his rookie season, perhaps he can give the franchise something to build around heading into an offseason full of difficult decisions.
