Football moves fast. One minute you're the $160 million face of a New York franchise, and the next, you're clearing out a locker while the team argues about your injury guarantees.
Honestly, the way it ended for Daniel Jones with the New York Giants was messy. There’s no other way to put it. After six seasons of "Danny Dimes" being the guy—or at least the guy they hoped would be the guy—the relationship hit a wall in late 2024. Most people know he was benched, but the actual mechanics of his exit were way more complicated than just poor play on the field.
The $23 Million Problem
If you want to understand what happened to Daniel Jones, you have to look at the money. In March 2023, the Giants signed him to a massive four-year extension. It was a $160 million bet based mostly on a single playoff win against the Vikings.
By the middle of the 2024 season, that bet looked like a disaster.
The Giants were 2-8. Jones was struggling. But the real kicker was a specific clause in his contract: a $23 million injury guarantee for 2025. Basically, if Jones got hurt and couldn't pass a physical in the spring, the Giants would be on the hook for another $23 million they didn't want to pay.
It was the same move we saw with Russell Wilson in Denver and Derek Carr in Las Vegas. The team essentially decided that the risk of him getting hurt was greater than the reward of him playing.
The Breakup in Munich
The final straw was a Week 10 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany. Jones threw two ugly interceptions. The Giants lost in overtime.
When the team came back across the Atlantic for their bye week, head coach Brian Daboll didn't have many answers. On November 18, 2024, the Giants officially benched Jones, dropping him all the way to fourth on the depth hierarchy behind Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock.
Things got awkward fast. Reports surfaced that the Giants actually asked Jones to stay home during the week. They didn't even want him practicing because of that injury risk.
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Jones wasn't having it. He asked for his release. On November 22, 2024, the Giants granted it, making him a free agent and ending an era that started with such high hopes back in 2019.
Life After MetLife
A lot of fans thought Jones would just vanish into the backup abyss.
He didn't.
After clearing waivers—no one was going to touch that $160 million contract—he signed with the Minnesota Vikings to finish out the 2024 season as a backup. It was a "rehab your image" move, similar to what Sam Darnold did. He got to sit in a good system, learn from Kevin O'Connell, and wait for the 2025 offseason.
The 2025 Comeback in Indianapolis
This is where the story takes a turn most New York fans didn't see coming. In early 2025, Daniel Jones signed a one-year, $14 million "prove it" deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts were looking for stability. They had Anthony Richardson, but they needed a veteran who could actually execute a high-percentage passing game. Jones didn't just show up to be a backup; he won the starting job in training camp.
The 2025 season was a statistical revelation for him:
- He posted a career-high completion percentage (around 68%).
- He led the Colts to an 8-5 record through early December.
- He finally looked like the "Vanilla Vick" threat people touted back in 2022.
The Latest Injury Update
Unfortunately, the "injury prone" label that followed him in New York returned. On December 7, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones suffered a significant non-contact injury.
Initial reports and video analysis suggested a right Achilles tendon rupture.
It’s a brutal blow for a guy who was finally rewriting his narrative. He had thrown 19 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions before the injury—numbers that far exceeded anything he did in his final years with the Giants.
Why the Daniel Jones Saga Still Matters
Looking back, the Daniel Jones era in New York is a cautionary tale about the "quarterback middle class." The Giants paid him like an elite Tier 1 quarterback because they were terrified of having nobody at the position.
But modern NFL roster building is ruthless. If you aren't a top-5 lock, your contract is basically a giant target on your back the moment the team starts losing.
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Jones was always a "first-class" guy in the locker room. Even John Mara, the Giants owner, admitted as much when they released him. He took the hits, he never complained to the media, and he played behind some of the worst offensive lines in franchise history.
So, what's next?
If you're following his recovery, keep an eye on the Colts' medical reports heading into the 2026 offseason. An Achilles tear at age 28 is tough, but modern sports medicine makes it a 9-to-12-month recovery.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Track the Cap: Watch the Giants' 2026 salary cap. They’re still dealing with "dead money" from the Jones release ($22.2 million in 2025), which impacts their ability to sign free agents this spring.
- Colts QB Room: See if Indianapolis selects a quarterback early in the 2026 Draft. If they do, Jones likely becomes a bridge starter or a high-end backup once he's healthy.
- Fantasy Impact: For those in dynasty leagues, Jones is a "hold." His 2025 tape was actually good, proving he can thrive in the right system if he can just stay on the field.
The book isn't closed on Daniel Jones, but the New York chapter is definitely gathering dust.