Level-headed. Non-confrontational. That’s a good way to describe the reaction of New York Giants’ rookie quarterback Daniel Jones to Baker Mayfield saying it “blows my mind” that the Giants took Jones No. 6 in the draft.
Since being selected by the Giants Jones has consistently said he hasn’t been focused on the outside noise, but rather on learning and doing his job. That continued on Tuesday.
“I try not to listen to much that’s said. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that. I heard that before, I kind of have the same mindset, I certainly have a lot to focus on here, I have a lot to worry about here and I’m focused on that,” Jones said.
“There is a lot that I need to do to improve, and to make sure that I’m moving forward. That’s what I’m focused on. I’m not sure that’s [comments like Mayfield’s] the best motivator. If that’s the thing you’re looking forward to doing the most is proving them wrong, I’m not sure that’s the best way to improve every day or the best way to really get where you want to go.”
Here is a little more from Jones:
Daniel Jones firing back at Baker Mayfield: “I'm not sure I would do it that way"
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) August 20, 2019
Oh, burn!
pic.twitter.com/HmWEHNlVty
Oh, and take THAT, Baker Mayfield ...
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) August 20, 2019
pic.twitter.com/70HEp0tcIk
If Jones was angry inside it certainly didn’t show.
“I’m not sure I would do it that way, but everyone has a different way of doing things. Like I said, my focus is here. Our focus is here,” he said. “Maybe my little brother would say something else (laughter). For the most part, I try to do a pretty good job at controlling myself. I feel like I’m thinking best and playing best when I’m in control of myself.”
That reaction is a big part of the reason the Giants selected Jones even though so many pundits thought Giants’ GM Dave Gettleman had lost his mind by falling in “full bloom love” with a quarterback from Duke.
After trending on Twitter and causing a firestorm with his remarks about Jones, Mayfield did try on Tuesday to walk back his GQ comments.
Baker clarifies his reported comments on Daniel Jones, says he wishes the Giants QB "nothing but the best" pic.twitter.com/afYXPVXrWd
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 20, 2019
Giants’ coach Pat Shurmur more or less said Mayfield should get some new material.
“Baker commenting on whether we drafted Daniel? That’s not original commentary, is it?,” Shurmur said. “He’s (Mayfield) in a long line of people that criticized that move. That’s his business. If I were Dan, I wouldn’t even address it, just like he hasn’t addressed all of his other critics. The one thing about Dan is, don’t confuse calm and composed for a guy that’s competitive and a winner. I’m fond of the phrase, ‘still waters run deep,’ so that’s what I think of Dan. Beyond that, I have no other comment.”
Jones’ teammates leaped to his defense.
“It’s kind of dumb,” [Evan] Engram told NJ Advance Media of Mayfield’s comments on Tuesday.
“There’s two types of people in this world,” Engram said. “There’s people who run their mouths and cry for attention and there’s people who put their head down, get to work and get stuff done. That’s everything Daniel’s been doing.”
“I’m happy Daniel (Jones) is a part of my team. I played against him in college and he did his thing. You know we can just control what we can control. He comes in and works hard every day and he deserves respect, but I guess he’s got to go and earn it,” said Jones’ roommate and fellow first-round pick Dexter Lawrence. “I know who he is and I’ve been around him for a couple months and we’ve grown close and he deserves a lot more respect than that.”
Meanwhile, Jones’ play so far this preseason has done nothing to make Gettleman and the Giants look incorrect. He has gone 16-of-19 for 228 yards and two touchdowns, with two of his incompletions being drops.
Daniel Jones this preseason among QB’s with at least 20 drop-backs:
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) August 20, 2019
Best NFL Passer Rating (151.8)
Highest adj. completion % (89.5%)
Best NFL Passer Rating when kept clean (155.6)
11th in PFF passing grade (77)https://t.co/jKOc6CnIPb
Image: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/IXlb85dM2Z
The best answer Jones could give all of his critics is to carry that kind of performance into meaningful games whenever his time comes to be the Giants’ starting quarterback.