The New York Giants season has been nothing short of a disaster. The team is dead last in the NFC East, posting a 2-8 record. Now, several reports have come out that many players are upset with how the team handled the benching of Daniel Jones.
Giants Players Upset With Quarterback Change
Many fans and analysts supported the New York Giants’ decision to bench Daniel Jones. He has played subpar for the majority of his career, including this season. However, it has been reported that many Giants veteran players are upset about his benching. Jones, who has faced a season marked by inconsistent performances, was sidelined in favor of backup quarterback Tommy DeVito. While the decision might make sense from a performance and health standpoint, it hasn’t sat well with some players who see Jones as a critical leader and key piece of the team’s future.
Dexter Lawrence
One of these players is defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence has been vocal about his support for his “best friend” Jones. Lawrence went on to say “Teams lose games, not just one player, and I think that should be understood.” He even went on to say that Jones is the best quarterback on the team, “He’s the QB1. To me, the best quarterback on the team. But they see things differently. I guess that’s all that matters.”
Scapegoat
One source of contention among players is the perception that Jones is being scapegoated for the Giants’ struggles this season. The offensive line has struggled to protect him and the receiving corps has battled injuries and underperformance. His teammates reportedly feel that the broader issues plaguing the offense haven’t been addressed, making the benching of Jones seem unfair.
Another major source of tension is that Jones was made the QB3, also behind Drew Lock on the depth chart. Many of his teammates felt that this was unnecessary and once again unfair. If Tommy DeVito gets injured or benched, it will be Drew Lock leading the Giants out on the field and not Daniel Jones.
Looking Ahead
This situation could become ugly in New York. It is clear many players are unhappy with the coaches about this move. We will see how the team rallies around the new starting quarterback Tommy DeVito.
In terms of future years, the future of head coach Brian Daboll and staff is a major question mark. Daboll is now in his third season as the Giants head coach. His career record with New York is 17-26-1. After another failed season, Daboll is undoubtedly on the hot seat going into 2025.
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