Daniel Jones' Top Five Best and Worst Moments

This past Monday, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll announced that Daniel Jones would be benched in favor of fan favorite Tommy ‘Tommy Cutlets’ DeVito, signaling the end of Jones’ time in New York.

In honor of Jones’ benching, I will be ranking the sixth-year man out of Duke’s top 5 worst moments and his top five best moments as the starting quarterback of the Giants.

Best Moments

5. Five touchdown performance in OT win at Washington in week 18 of the 2019-20 season

In the final week of the 2019-20 regular season, the New York Giants went to FedEx Field to take on the Washington Redskins, a game that would give the loser the 2nd pick in the 2020 draft. Jones came out and threw five touchdowns and 352 yards, becoming the second rookie QB since 1950 to put up 300-plus yards and 5-plus TDs in a game.

4. 21-point-comeback win vs. Arizona, Week 2, 2023

After the Giants were down 21-0 to the Arizona Cardinals at the half and being outscored 60-0 after a game and a half, Jones set the tone, completing a 58-yard deep ball to Jalin Hyatt to open the second half. Jones led the Giants to a 31-28 win and threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns.

3. Week 17 vs. Indianapolis, 2023

In a playoff-clinching game, Jones answered the call, throwing two touchdowns while rushing for two more, leaving the game when the starters were pulled to a standing ovation and the crowd chanting his name while sending New York back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

2. First career NFL start vs. Tampa Bay

After starting the season 0-2, the Giants decided to let Daniel Jones start in place of Eli Manning. Jones had fans believing in his first start, leading an 18-point comeback win in the second half. He threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more, one of them the game-winner.

1. Playoff win vs. Minnesota

There isn’t much to say; this game was amazing to watch and was the best game of Daniel Jones’ career by far. He looked incredible and made plays you only saw Patrick Mahomes making as he diced up the Vikings’ defense.

Jones finished this one with 301 passing yards and two touchdowns, also running for 78 yards. I will never forget this game and will be re-watching it for a very long time.

Worst Moments

5. Week 1 vs. Minnesota, 2024

Jones came into week one of this season playing his first meaningful snaps since tearing his ACL last November. This past off-season saw the Giants revamp their offensive line and give their quarterback a much-needed number-one wideout in Malik Nabers. Jones had a game to forget, throwing a 52% completion rate and two interceptions, including one right to a linebacker on a screen pass, returned for six.

4. Interception to Steelers D-Lineman in Week 1, 2020

Daniel Jones would like to have this play back. Pressure forced the then second-year man from Duke to roll out of the pocket. Instead of throwing it away, Jones tried forcing a ball up to the endzone, only for the pass to go right into the arms of Steelers star defensive lineman Cam Heyward.

3. Pick six vs. Seattle, 2023 on Monday Night Football

This play was a prime example of a quarterback having a low IQ. The Giants were in the red zone when Jones stared down his target in the endzone and threw the ball right to rookie Devon Witherspoon, who returned it for six. This play was so bad that it left Eli Manning speechless on the Manning Cast.

2. Jamal Adams rips Football away for scoop and score

This one was a toss-up between two and three, but this play is at two because of how embarrassing this play was. Jones dropped back to throw, and on came a blitzing Jamal Adams to rip the football out of his hands and run it back for six.

1. The infamous stumble vs the Eagles

Enough said this is the worst. Jones fooled the entire Eagles' defense on a designed run and was off to the races… until he wasn’t. Eighty yards later, he stumbled and tripped on the turf, making for one of the most meme-worthy plays ever. Just watch for yourself.

Ian Rothenberg is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email imr5327@psu.edu