Tom Brady isn’t a fan of how everything played out during the split between the New York Giants and Daniel Jones.
The legendary quarterback was in Fox’s broadcast booth during the game between the Giants and Dallas Cowboys and opened up about the entire situation, which resulted in Jones signing with the Minnesota Vikings after New York president John Mara announced the team granted his request for a release after he was benched.
“I don’t know how the whole situation went down, but to think that you would ask for a release from a team that committed a lot to you is maybe different than how I would’ve handled that,” Brady said.
“I always felt I wanted to get the trust and respect of my teammates, regardless of the situation, knowing that I was doing the best I could for the team because that was the most important thing.
“There’s just some different things that happen in the NFL, and everyone makes individual choices. And I think we’re all at points in our career, face different challenges. I faced them in college. Some things didn’t go the way I wanted, but the people that mattered the most to me were the guys in the locker room. I showed up every day. I don’t care if they asked me to be scout team safety, scout team quarterback. I was going to do whatever I could to help the team win.”
The release happened after Giants head coach Brian Daboll announced Tommy DeVito would start over Jones.
What’s more, New York used Jones as a scout-team safety during a practice after they benched him.
It’s surely not the end the NFC East team envisioned when it gave Jones a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023. That deal also featured a $23 million injury guarantee for the 2025 season that would have kicked in if he suffered an injury that prevented him from passing a physical during the upcoming offseason.
Brady brought up the money and wanting to set a positive example for his teammates, but Jones is still just 27 years old and will want to prove himself elsewhere. Getting released allowed him to sign with a playoff contender in the Vikings, even if he is just a backup.
Minnesota gets some injury insurance with an experienced option to fall back on if Sam Darnold is sidelined down the stretch, and Jones can learn from another highly drafted player who didn’t live up to expectations in New York as a potential blueprint for the next stage of his career.
Brady was also never in the same situation as Jones, as he became the face of the league during his time on the New England Patriots and ended up winning seven Super Bowls during his illustrious career.
It was clear Jones’ time as a key part of the Giants was coming to an end, and he and the team both made choices with an eye on the future.