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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH — New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones took all the first-team reps at practice this week and is not expected to be on a short leash Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers despite getting pulled in the fourth quarter last week, multiple sources told ESPN.
Jones went to the bench in a 28-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in place of backup Drew Lock. Coach Brian Daboll said he was looking for a “spark.” It didn’t happen. Lock went 3-of-8 passing for six yards.
A handful of Giants (2-5) players told ESPN this week they weren’t pushing for a permanent change at quarterback entering the Monday night matchup. Jones is their starter. Several players did note that it might be different if Tyrod Taylor were still on the roster. He’s not. It’s still Jones’ team.
Taylor was the team’s backup each of the past two seasons. He signed with the New York Jets this offseason.
It has been a struggle of late for Jones and the Giants, especially at home. They’ve scored just one offensive touchdown in four homes games this season. Jones has six touchdown passes and four interceptions in seven starts this season. New York has the 31st-ranked scoring offense averaging 14.1 points per game entering Monday night.
Jones was not happy with the situation after last Sunday’s loss and throughout this week. He’s trying not to think what happen if he struggles on Monday night or moving forward.
“I’m just going to focus on playing well. I think playing well, winning the game, that puts us all in the best position,” Jones said during the week. [Daboll] can make his decision, he’s the head coach, so my job is to play and play well and that’s what I’m focused on.”
Jones wouldn’t say if he’s been given any reassurances beyond that he’s starting Monday night’s game. Daboll told the team in the locker room after last week’s loss that Jones was the starter going forward. He did not specify anything more than that.
Daboll also wouldn’t specify if he’s given his quarterback any reassurance he wouldn’t be pulled mid-game again. Only that their focus was on playing well.
“That’s where our focus is,” Daboll said this week.
Jones has been the Giants’ clear-cut starter since early in his rookie year. He was drafted sixth overall by New York in the 2019 NFL draft.
This is his sixth season as the team’s starter. Despite some ups and downs, Jones was given a four-year, $160 million contract after a strong 2022 season. This is the second year of that deal.
But the Giants have struggled ever since, compiling an 8-16 mark. Jones had a neck injury that cost him time and tore the ACL in his right knee midway through last season. He’s come back strong physically. The knee hasn’t been a noticeable problem.
Still, the Giants made their thoughts on his long-term future obvious by their actions this offseason. The team looked closely at quarterbacks in the draft. They even tried to trade up for one. All this was documented on an offseason “Hard Knocks.”
Jones has taken it all in stride. He admittedly “wasn’t fired up” to hear and see about the Giants’ interest in quarterbacks. The same can be said about being benched against the Eagles.