Giants' John Mara on Daniel Jones: 'I'm still happy we gave him that contract'
Giants co-owner John Mara speaks to the media Thursday during a news conference at Hackensack Medical Center in Hackensack, N.J.. Credit: AP/Tom Canavan
Giants co-owner John Mara made clear that he still believes in quarterback Daniel Jones.
“I’m still happy we gave him that contract because I thought he played really well for us in 2022,” Mara said Thursday afternoon. “Last year he got hurt and, let’s be honest, when he was playing, we weren’t blocking anybody. Let’s give him a chance with a better offensive line and some weapons around him to see what he can do.”
Mara also said that he will not put any pressure on coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen to win this season. But he does believe in a bottom line.
“I obviously want to show significant improvement over last year,” Mara said, “but I’m not going to make any specific guarantees or demands or anything like that. They know what I want to see. I have a lot of confidence in this particular team [of Daboll and Schoen]. Their communication is great. I think we’ve added some good pieces. Now it’s time to show everybody.”
It starts with Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract in March of 2023 after leading the Giants to a playoff win. But last season he had two touchdown passes and six interceptions while playing in just six games because of neck and knee injuries, including a torn ACL in his right knee.
In addressing another question about Jones, Mara replied: “There’s no harder worker in that building than Daniel. I expect him to have a great season for us.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka earlier in the day said that he also has been impressed with Jones’ comeback from the torn ACL.
“He’s not flinching,” Kafka said. “Whether it’s the plays, whether it's people up and around the pocket, he's stepping up and he's throwing it strong. Those are just every day. Again, he's just getting better and better with those type of things.”
Mara spoke to reporters at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. He was joined by Phil Simms and Justin Tuck as a new 100th season mural was unveiled on the true centennial anniversary of Mara’s grandfather founding the Giants for $500.
Mara even expressed, for the first time in a while, hope for the offensive line. The group is now coached by Carmen Bricillo, who came to the Giants from the Raiders.
“I know it looks a little shaky right now,” Mara said, “but I have a lot of confidence in this coach.”
Is the offense line fixed?
“We’re not going to know that until we start playing games,” Mara said. “That’s obviously a big area of concern for us and it has been for a lot of years. That’s why we added a few pieces, this year and more than a few pieces. I expect us to be better there. But until we start playing games and showing that, that’s just talk.”
Mara also dismissed concerns that the defense is often getting the better of the offense on the practice field.
“It’s way too early,” Mara said. “Ever since I can remember, the offense is always behind the defense at this state [of training camp]. I think the pieces we added to the offensive line will help us eventually.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
