Daniel Jones sent holiday gift to former Giants teammates despite release

Jones was cut by the Giants in November, signing with the Vikings practice squad days later.

Daniel Jones (13) works with Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown at team practice / Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones didn't forget about his former teammates in this season of giving.

Despite being benched and then cut by the Giants last month, Jones still thanked his former offensive linemen recently by sending them limited edition bottles of Clase Azul tequila. A quick Google search shows that Clase Azul tequila ranges from $120 to $2,150 dollars at local liquor stores.

Daniel Jones with a class move. He may not be the Giants QB anymore but … he sent all the offensive linemen who were on the roster with him a limited edition bottle of Clase Azul.

Jones was benched and released by the Giants last month. He’s on the Vikings practice squad.

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) December 20, 2024

That's a classy move.

After a 2-8 start, the Giants pulled the plug on Jones as the team's starter, demoting him to fourth-string QB before eventually cutting him. Amid a flurry of interest from other teams, Jones chose to join the Vikings' practice squad shortly after being released.

Upon signing with the Vikings, Jones said he was looking to "grow and improve" in Minnesota and that he was excited to "be a part of a good quarterback room, a good offense and see where I can help."

Jones was just a year and a half into the four-year, $160 million deal he inked with the Giants ahead of the 2023 season. That contract came after his best season and lone playoff win, which came against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. He mostly struggled to live up to the expectations of being the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft, guiding the Giants to a 24-44-1 record as their starter.

In ten games this season, Jones threw for 2,070 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing just over 63 percent of his passes.

Jones has been on the Vikings' practice squad since signing a one-year deal for the rest of the 2024 season. He arrived hoping to learn from Kevin O'Connell, who has helped Sam Darnold revive his career with an outstanding 2024 season. Darnold, who had struggled over parts of six season with the Jets and Panthers, has the Vikings sitting at 12-2 with a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and an NFC North title over the final three weeks of the season.

"(O'Connell) knows quarterback play, knows how to build the quarterback environment and I think just being a part of that and learning from him and his whole staff was a great opportunity for me," said Jones in November.

It's possible that Jones could return to the Vikings next season as a backup or bridge option to J.J. McCarthy, in the event Darnold signs elsewhere.

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