Giants quarterback Daniel Jones tore the ACL in his right knee on Sunday and is out for the rest of the season.
Jones was injured on the final play of the first quarter in New York’s 30-6 loss to the Raiders in Las Vegas and faces a recovery window up approximately nine months, which lines up with the start of training camp in 2024.
Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed Monday that medical testing showed Jones’ ACL tear. The season-ending injury is the latest setback for the Giants, who made the playoffs last season and signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract in the offseason. Jones had two touchdown passes and six interceptions in six games this season.
The Giants (2-7) have been outscored 217-101 with just nine offensive touchdowns in nine games.
Jones attempted to elude Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby when his right leg gave out and he crumpled to the ground. On the next play, Jones dropped back to pass and as he put pressure on his right leg, it gave out again and he fell to the turf, grabbing his right knee.
Daboll confirmed Monday that Jones made the call to re-enter the game after collapsing the first time.
“He came over, started running back and forth, loosening it up, told our guys he was good, and then went back out there and obviously on that drop, went down again,” Daboll said. “That’s what it was.”
Jones walked off the field and was examined in the locker room before being ruled out just after halftime.
Undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito replaced Jones at quarterback but threw two interceptions in his first three pass attempts before finishing with 175 yards passing and a touchdown.
Jones completed 4 of 9 passes for 25 yards before the injury. Jones missed the previous three games due to a neck injury.
Giants backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor is on injured reserve with a rib injury sustained during last week’s 13-10 overtime loss to the New York Jets.
Daboll said DeVito “did a good job” on Sunday, but would not commit to him as the starting quarterback moving forward. The Giants play at Dallas and Washington the next two week’s before returning home to face the Patriots in Week 12.
Veteran Matt Barkley is the only other quarterback on the roster, and is currently on the team’s practice squad.
“I’m not going to give you one thing and it’s a different thing. I have confidence in Tommy. He’s done a good job. But I’ll sit down and talk with (general manager) Joe (Schoen) and figure out what’s next.
Daboll declined to speculate on the future of Jones, who had just returned from missing three games due to a neck injury. Jones’ contract is guaranteed through next season, and his lengthy injury history includes a concussion and season-ending neck strain in 2021 that limited him to 11 games.
“I just heard he had an ACL here 10 minutes ago, so my focus is on just being there for the young man,” Daboll said when asked about how concerning Jones’ injury history is. “I know he’ll do everything he can do to get back ready to play.”