EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones revealed Thursday that he underwent a non-football-related procedure on his neck this past winter.
Jones, 25, was adamant the procedure was not related to the neck problem that sidelined him for the final six games of last season.
“I had a non-football-related procedure done on my neck,’ Jones said. “I saw there was something about it. It was completely unrelated, but I feel good. Neck is great.”
The query came as a result of an image from earlier this summer that circulated on social media showing what appeared to be a 6-inch scar on Jones’ upper chest, indicating that he had undergone surgery.
Jones suffered a neck injury in Week 12 of last season. The Giants eventually placed him on injured reserve, and he didn’t play again because of what sources said was a “disc injury.”
There was little concern at the time that the injury would be a long-term problem, and Jones and the Giants both have consistently said the injury would not be something to deal with in 2022.
Jones, who was a full participant in practices this spring and summer, is more than three weeks into a training camp where he has admittedly had his ups and downs.
Last Thursday night against the New England Patriots, Jones returned to game action for the first time since suffering the injury, completing 6-of-10 passes for 69 yards in the Giants’ preseason opener.
“It was all good,” Jones said of how he felt the day after the contest. “Didn’t have any issues at all. It was all good.”
The neck is just another layer to a complicated situation involving Jones, who was selected sixth overall in the 2019 NFL draft and is in the final year of his rookie contract. The Giants declined his fifth-year option this past April.
New York signed Tyrod Taylor to a two-year deal this past offseason, and the veteran quarterback has played well this summer. Taylor has started 53 career games for the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.
Jones still remains the starter despite first-year head coach Brian Daboll saying earlier this week he might sneak Taylor in a few first-team reps to prepare for the possibility of needing him in an emergency situation.