Daniel Jones may be a quarterback in the NFL‘s largest media market, but that doesn’t mean that he is forgetting his former teammates. The New York Giants rookie starter proved this over the weekend when he returned to his alma mater. As it turns out, the Duke players were just as excited to see Jones.
When the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft walked into the Duke locker room, he was immediately mobbed by his former teammates. These players were extremely excited to see Jones and wouldn’t let him walk three feet without a hug or other signs of affection.
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It didn’t even matter that Jones was technically the big man on campus after being named the starter in New York. The Duke players still took off his hat and ruffled his hair like he was a small child.
Daniel Jones’ college teammates were so pumped to have him back in the building 🙌 @Daniel_Jones10
(via @DukeFOOTBALL) pic.twitter.com/8OQ9t50Wv6
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 13, 2019
A three-year starter for Duke, Jones accounted for 8,201 passing yards, 52 touchdowns, and only 29 interceptions during his career. He also added another 1,323 yards and 17 touchdowns as a runner. In his career, Jones was named ACC Quarterback of the Week twice, as well as the MVP of the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl.
This production in college led to Jones being a top-10 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was the second quarterback taken off the board after Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, but this decision by general manager Dave Gettleman and the New York Giants was met with an outpouring of rage by fans of Big Blue.
Some fans broke their televisions while others simply screamed in frustration. Whatever the reaction, the prevailing belief among Giants fans was that this selection was a monumental mistake.
Fast-forward six weeks into the season, and the opinions have changed considerably. Jones has replaced veteran Eli Manning as the starter and has gone 2-2 while throwing five touchdowns and six interceptions. There have certainly been growing pains for the youngster, especially during the recent loss to the New England Patriots, but the Giants fans now believe that Jones is the future in the Big Apple.
The remainder of his rookie season will inevitably be full of more interceptions and some inconsistent play, but the Giants and Dave Gettleman can rest assured that they have changed the opinions of the fanbase. Of course, the professional outlook won’t matter to the Duke players. They will continue to be excited every time Jones appears in the building.
