Daniel Jones has suffered one of the most dramatic falls from grace in recent memory. After being hailed as the hero of New York for dragging the franchise to the postseason in 2022 for the first time since 2016, the former first round pick round pick was quickly discarded after disappointing performances in the years following.
Now competing for a starting role on the Indianapolis Colts, Jones will try to rehabilitate his career in the 2025 season. As he attempts to salvage his reputation, his longtime teammate and close friend, Darius Slayton, revealed the unique circumstances that the dual-threat quarterback faced as a member of the New York Giants.
Darius Slayton Blames the Offense for Daniel Jones’ Departure
Drafted as a first-round pick in 2019, Jones had shown some promise early in his career. Injury issues kept him in and out of the lineup for the first three years of his career, and entering the final year of his rookie deal, the pressure was on.
However, he responded with unquestionably his best season to date. Putting up 3,205 yards through the air and 708 yards on the ground, he led the Giants to the playoffs with a 9-7-1 record before putting on a show in the Wild Card Round against the Minnesota Vikings.
New York appeared poised to break out, and the two sides agreed on a massive four-year extension worth $160 million. However, a torn ACL ruined his 2023 season, and he didn’t return to the same heights ever again.
As a result, the Giants released him , and he wound up on the Vikings for a brief period . This offseason, he signed with the Colts on a one-year dea. But players in the New York locker room still have a favorable opinion about their former QB.
Case in point is Slayton, who joined New York in the same draft class and is still a member of the organization after signing a new three-year contract worth $36 million this offseason Speaking on the “NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov” podcast, he made it clear that the Giants’ offensive struggles were the issue.
“It was definitely not an ideal situation,” he began. “At the end of the day, he knows what the business is. I know what this business is. It’s result-based. We weren’t good enough the previous few years on offense. Typically, the tip of that spear is the quarterback.”
As a result, Slayton understands why New York chose to part ways with Jones and start afresh with veterans like Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, while developing a rookie in Jaxson Dart.
However, even with those problems, Slayton believes Jones can make a bounce-back. “I think that he will be a successful quarterback in the league.” Pointing to Sam Darnold’s resurgence in Minnesota, he concluded, “This league is largely about being in the right place at the right time.”
As Jones competes for the Colts’ starting role with another former first round pick in Anthony Richardson, he’ll look to follow Darnold’s path and revive his career with a new franchise.
