As a former New York quarterback Grows in Minnesota.another now standing in a position he never thought he’d be in after going sixth overall in 2019.
Daniel Jones‘Time with the New York Giants unceremoniously ended when he was released after a 2-8 start that season, leaving him to find a new home in the NFL for the first time in six years.
After considering his options, Jones decided to take the role of practice squad quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, calling it an “awesome opportunity” to work with head coach Kevin O’Connell and starter Sam Darnold. York’s ex-jet, whose career has been revived by him. the weather
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Could this be what Jones is looking for with the Vikings after Darnold regained his confidence and led the team to an 11-2 record?
Vikings legend Kyle Rudolph, a former teammate during his year with Jones, said after spending two weekends with Jones, before, during and after the team’s win. There may be a plan. Arizona Cardinals.
“He’s excited to be in this environment in Minnesota,” Rudolph told Fox News Digital while expressing his admiration for the two Minnesota military veterans after teaming up with Polaris and Call of Duty in Week 13. said “Being around Kevin O’Connell, Josh McCown, the quarterbacks coach, kind of being able to take a back seat and learn and really try to re-establish himself as a top-10 pick to be a good quarterback in this league. Beck and a guy who won a playoff game in that building and went to the divisional round.”
Jones had a breakout 2022 season that Rudolph cited, including a wild-card round victory on the road at US Bank Stadium. Kirk CousinsLed the Vikings. This ultimately led to the Giants’ decision to give Jones a long-term extension, believing he had proven himself worthy of a new contract to remain the team’s franchise quarterback.
However, it didn’t work out, as the Giants released him that season before they had the chance to opt out of his contract. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley, who was franchise-tagged after Jones got his big deal, is having an MVP season with the Philadelphia Eagles in his first year since walking in free agency.
But while the Giants stewed over their next quarterback during a terrible campaign, Jones may have found new life in Minnesota.
“What’s to stop DJ from becoming next year’s Baker Mayfield? [or] Sam Darnold?” said Rudolph.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (AP Photo/John Munson)
“That’s a big reason why he chose to go to Minnesota, knowing that there might be an opportunity for me in the future.”
As for Darnold, he signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Vikings last offseason, knowing it would be a quarterback competition with rookie JJ McCarthy, the team’s first-rounder from Michigan. But when McCarthy went down with a knee injury, Darnold knew he needed to step up all season for the Vikings, not just Week 1 when he won the starting job out of training camp.
He has done just that with an 11-2 record through 13 games, putting up career numbers. Remember, this is a quarterback who flopped as the third overall pick with the New York Jets, didn’t last with the Carolina Panthers and was in the same role Jones is now in 2023 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Meanwhile, Mayfield was also in Carolina with Darnold after his tenure as the Cleveland Browns’ first overall pick and hopeful savior. Mayfield bounced around the NFL until the Bucs gave him the same contract in 2023 that Darnold has now. Not only did Mayfield prove he could win in Tampa Bay – he beat the Eagles in the wild-card round on his home turf, cementing his role as the team’s franchise quarterback – he had to show it. Received a three-year, $100 million extension.
Rudolph said Darnold has earned enough of an extension with more games to play, and Jones could do the same with the Vikings, a team Rudolph doesn’t think will want to spend big on Darnold. Knowing that McCarthy was waiting.
“In today’s world, these young quarterbacks don’t have to play their first two years,” Rudolph said. “What JJ is going through with his knee injury, and ultimately, yes, he will compete if DJ decides to stay there next year. He has a great opportunity to go out, and there’s only one. It takes years.”
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (AP Photo/Leinart Press)
For now, though, Rudolph knows Jones is itching to get back on the field, but he’s playing his role well in his first few weeks with Minnesota.
“I think the biggest challenge for DJ is that he’s always been the guy. He was the sixth overall pick and quarterback for the New York Giants,” Rudolph said. “Last Sunday, he watched the game from the sidelines as the practice squad quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. It’s not easy. As a competitor, I know talking to him, he was like, ‘ Man, I basically felt useless standing there watching a game.’ It’s part of the process.”
Giving back to veterans
Rudolph got to watch Darnold and company pick up a Week 13 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the Twin Cities, where he also drove two Minnesota veterans with Polaris RZR Pro R vehicles during the Dec. 1 salute to service game. Surprised.
Rudolph leveraged his fundraising platform, Altro, and teamed up with Polaris and Call of Duty for this special surprise.
“Two local Marine Corps guys from Minnesota, they almost feel like they don’t deserve such an incredible honor because they’re like, ‘There are so many other people who have done what I’ve done and it’s me. deserve more than.’ They couldn’t believe that these were the two chosen to receive the Polaris RZRs,” Rudolph said.
Newly acquired Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones walks off the field after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at US Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Baker-Images)
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The veterans also played the all-new “Call of Duty Black Ops 6” video game with Vikings guards Pete Jones II and Ivan Pace Jr.
And by March 1, 2025, Rudolph said football fans can enter. But Altro For a chance to win a Polaris RZR Pro R with donations benefiting the Call of Duty Endowment, a program that helps place veterans in high-quality careers and supports the welfare of veterans. is
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