Giants QB Daniel Jones exits game with apparent neck injury vs Dolphins

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will not return in the Giants’ afternoon matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Jones went to the locker room after suffering an apparent neck injury.

“An injured Giants’ QB Daniel Jones has left the field for the locker room,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on Twitter.

The injury occurred after Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel sacked Jones from behind, forcing Jones’ head to thrash back from the force. Jones has already been sacked 22 times this season, the second-most in the NFL, trailing only Sam Howell.

Daniel Jones is seen exiting the game. pic.twitter.com/CANDcbRbeT

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 8, 2023

Before exiting the game, Jones recorded 119 passing yards and zero touchdowns. The quarterback has faced pressure all day, suffering six sacks in the contest. As of this report, the Giants trail the Dolphins 31-16 with just over eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Jones has struggled early this season. The former Duke standout has completed 68.7% of his passes for 765 yards and two touchdowns. Jones has also tossed a miserable six interceptions, tied for the most in the league.

Daniel Jones faces the music

Jones has received his fair share of criticism for his mistakes, including from Giants head coach Brian Daboll. One moment that stands out was an exchange between Daboll and Jones in the team’s Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The quarterback had just thrown an interception in the red zone, missing intended receiver Darren Waller, who was waiting for the catch in the end zone. Seahawks rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon returned the interception for a 97-yard pick-six.

Just when the Giants thought they were getting back into the game, Jones committed such a significant mistake that the game was de facto over with right then. Seattle eventually celebrated the 24-3 victory. 

Daboll tried to talk to Jones on the sideline, but the quarterback kept walking. Cameras then found Daboll looking at an iPad, presumably with the replay of the pick six. He tossed the tablet Jones’ way. You could feel the coach’s frustration and the quarterback’s anxiety seep through the TV screen.

A day after the loss, Brian Daboll said he wasn’t aiming the tablet at Daniel Jones.

“No, I wouldn’t throw a tablet there,” Daboll said. “I just tossed it to the side because obviously it was a little bit of frustration, but, no, I wouldn’t throw a tablet at him.”

But by mid-week, the QB says it’s necessary to forget some of the game details.

“You’ve got to put it away immediately and get back out there and play ball,” Jones told reporters Wednesday afternoon. “Can’t afford to dwell on any of that very long. Obviously, after the game, you try to learn from it and see where you went wrong.”

On3’s Suzanne Halliburton also contributed to this article.