Joint activities often lead to hostility. Simply ask the New York Giants. During their Monday workout with the Detroit Lions, the G-Men got into a few bouts, and the day became so tense that even quarterback Daniel Jones got involved. Jones was eventually removed from the scrum by a coach, according to SNY, but not before he had contributed enough to gain the respect of his colleagues. “Oh, Lord…” Did Daniel get jiggy with it? Brian Burns, the Giants’ edge rusher, told SNY after Monday’s practice. “Was Daniel out there with it? Yeah! I’ll need him to back up. I’m going to need him to back up and let his offensive line handle it. But, no, Daniel, he’s a competitor man, he’s a fighter. I don’t expect nothing less from him, but I don’t need him in that, I don’t need him to get hit, keep him healthy.”
Burns is correct in his assessment: No NFL team needs its quarterback getting banged up by unnecessarily involving themselves in extracurricular activities during camp, especially not Jones, whose injury history has proven to be a constant hindrance to his development. But it’s also a refreshing look at the otherwise mild-mannered Duke product, who needs to play with a bit of an attitude before his time in New York potentially runs out.
Jones was asked about the incident afterward, and understandably downplayed his involvement.
“I mean, situation happens like that, you try to stand up for your guys but I thought it was a good competitive practice all day today,” Jones claimed, according to FOX Sports. “We made some plays and did some positive things, but there are other aspects that we really need to shore up. However, there is a good level of energy and competitiveness.”
Some coaches despise in-practice fights, because it robs them of quality time intended to improve. But with hot weather and the natural competitive environment of joint practices, so too come some occasional spats.
The Giants need this type of fire entering 2024, especially after they fell flat in a disappointing 2023 that even led to some rumblings about the team’s future under center. There’s no time left to waste for Jones or head coach Brian Daboll, who must prove 2023 was an aberration, not a sign of things to come.
“I think that’s the goal every day you come out to practice, whether you’re practicing against another team or yourself is to feel better and more confident at the end of the day,” Jones said on Monday. “I think we did that, I think we made some plays, executed well throughout the day. Like I said, there’s some things we want back and things we could do better for sure but overall I thought we played tough, played physical, and executed well.”
Execution is the goal. Jones can provide moral support from outside the fight the next time one (inevitably) breaks out.
