NFL
Daniel Jones declares himself ‘fully cleared’ from ACL injury ahead of crucial Giants season
The wording of the questions were very specific so there’d be no confusion.
Asked twice Sunday if he’s been “fully cleared” when training camp opens on Wednesday, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones answered affirmatively and without hesitation both times.
Eight months after undergoing season-ending ACL surgery on his right knee last November, Jones indicated that he expects to have no limitations on the first day of practice.
“Feel good, yeah, I’m ready to go,” Jones said at his camp for kids at Hoboken H.S. “Ready to go in training camp. I’m looking forward to Wednesday.”
Asked again if that means he’s been “fully cleared” medically, Jones responded, “Yeah should be good to go.”
And so begins this pivotal season for the Giants and their $160 million quarterback.
Jones appeared in only six games during the team’s 6-11 disappointment last year after leading the Giants to the second round of the playoffs in 2022.
GM Joe Schoen said on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” that the Giants aren’t “giving up” on Jones and that “this is Daniel’s year.”
The Giants declined to trade up or draft a quarterback despite Jones’ iffy offseason status, instead grabbing wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the draft.
They also signed running back Devin Singletary after Saquon Barkley departed in free agency, while adding two new starters on the offensive line.
“I’m excited, Jones said. “We got some new guys coming in and we’ll be a different team than last year, so it’s about finding out who the team is going to be and grow and build chemistry and be on the same page.
“So I’m excited. I think there’s a lot of work to do, but I’m excited where we’re going.”
The 27-year-old QB said last week on the “Simms Complete” podcast that he has had a “pretty smooth process” with “no real setbacks” during his rehabilitation.
“At this point, I’m doing pretty much everything — running, cutting, everything I need to do,” Jones told the father-son combo of Phil and Matt Simms.
Jones, whose cap hit this season is $47.8 million, hosted about 500 kids at his Flexwork youth camp Sunday morning in Hoboken, where he now lives.
“I think it’s just a cool and special opportunity to spend time with kids,” Jones said. “I remember doing this when I was a kid during the summer, me and my brother would go to all different types of camps, a lot of sports, so it’s fun to be here.”