In the first season of offseason Hard Knocks, it became clear that last season could have been quarterback Daniel Jones’s final season in New York.
In the end, the Giants didn’t draft his replacement. But it wasn’t for lack of interest or effort.
In a new interview with Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com, Jones talks about his reaction to Hard Knocks and the motivation it gives him.
“I’m very motivated by this and by being as good a player as I can be,” Jones told Dunne. “Definitely didn’t enjoy watching that and it was a tough situation in a lot of ways, but that’s the reality of the NFL. My job is to be on the field and play good football. So that’s something I’ve got to understand and it is what it is at this point. It’s about playing the game and playing well now. . . .
“Look, obviously there’s something inside of you that kind of gets going and it ticks you off a little bit to see. It’s not fun and not something that you’re excited about. Like I said, it is what it is at this point and it’s my job to play well regardless.”
He’s entering the second-year of a four-year, $160 million deal. The contract provides the Giants with an easy escape after 2024. Which basically makes it a make-or-break season for Jones in New York.
“There’s some similarities to that first year when they didn’t pick up the fifth year [in 2022], but you’ve got to understand that and take from it what you can to help you play better for sure,” Jones told Dunne. “Understand the situation and be able to do your job at a high level. So that’s part of playing quarterback in this league. I’ve had to deal with it before and I know I can handle it.”
If he goes down, he won’t go down not swinging.
“Aggressive,” Jones told Dunne regarding the quarterback’s playing style. “Being able to push the ball down the field to our guys. We’ve got a number of guys who can get behind the defense. So being aggressive and taking shots when we’ve got them, and then smart decision-making when it’s not there and an ability to extend plays and use my legs in the run game. All of that. Mostly, this position’s about decision-making and knowing when you’ve got it and knowing when you don’t, and then handling both those situations accordingly.”
If he does it like he did two years ago, he’ll likely get a chance to do it again in 2024. If he doesn’t, he’ll likely be looking elsewhere in 2025.