NFL PLAYER NEWS

Giants rookie QB Jones to start last preseason game

Field Level Media

August 25, 2019 at 11:56 pm.

Two days after New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur reaffirmed to reporters that Eli Manning will remain the team’s starting quarterback when the 2019 season kicks off, Shurmur announced Sunday that rookie Daniel Jones will get the start in New York’s preseason finale on Thursday against New England.

Jones, whose selection at No. 6 overall in this year’s NFL Draft was heavily panned by media and fans, has flipped the script this preseason by playing much better than expected — completing 25 of 30 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns in three games.

The Duke product comes off another stellar outing on Thursday against Cincinnati when he finished 9 of 11 passing for 141 yards in four drives, looking so polished that Shurmur was compelled to declare a day later that there was no quarterback controversy — at least in regard to Week 1 against Dallas.

“Eli’s our starter, and we’re getting Daniel ready to play,” Shurmur said Friday. “(Jones) has done a good job in the preseason. He’s getting better and he’s going to do continue to do that, so that at whatever time we need him to play, he’ll be ready.”

While the 38-year-old Manning is the franchise’s all-time passing leader with two Super Bowl MVP awards to his credit, the Giants have gone just 8-24 over the past two seasons. New York has just one winning season since 2013 and has gone seven straight seasons without a playoff victory.