New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones tore his right ACL in the team’s deflating 30-6 loss last Sunday afternoon against the Raiders in Las Vegas and now comes the arduous experience of surgery followed by months of rehab.
“From what I understand kind of the process is to let the swelling go down and get the range of motion back and then go from there,” Jones told reporters about the injury on Wednesday. “So, I’ll have surgery sometime in the next couple of weeks.”
Jones said his knee injury was a torn ACL with no other complications or damage. He explained how the injury occurred.
“That play before the end of the first quarter, I just tried to make a cut, felt my knee kind of shift a little bit, kind of buckle in a different way. Wasn’t exactly sure what it was, just knew it kind of felt different,” he said.
“And then, tried to jog on it, do some light cutting in between the quarters and it felt okay, so I went back out there. I got to the top of my drop, felt that same kind of kind of shift and buckle in my leg, my knee kind of gave out a little bit there. So, I knew something was up at that point. I had to go in and get checked out.”
Jones was playing in his first game in a month after suffering yet another neck injury in Week 5 against Miami. He said his neck was ‘good’ but it was clear he is disappointed in how this season is turning out after last year’s playoff appearance and subsequent optimism.
“I mean, it’s tough, for sure. You put a lot into the season,” he said.
“You put a lot into preparing to play and to get it taken from you through an injury is definitely tough. That’s real and that’s something that you deal with as a player, but it’s part of the game at this level. At any level, really, it’s something that you have to deal with, and part of it. I understand that and it’s unfortunate, but I can’t afford to feel sorry for myself or sulk. It’s part of it, and I’ll be fine. I’ll bounce back, attack the rehab process like I have anything else and come back stronger.”
That remains to be seen. The Giants may have to draft over Jones should they be in position to come next April’s NFL draft. Jones knows that is out of his hands now.
“I’m focused on what I’m doing right now and what I can control and what’s in front of me and that’s this rehab process, my knee, healing that up and then doing everything I can to help this team finish strong and play well. That’s what I’m focused on and I’m excited to watch these guys finish,” he said.
Say whatever you want about Jones, but his decision to face the media knowing tough questions about his Giants’ future was coming is nothing short of admirable.
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