Barkley calls Jones 'an elite QB' after standout playoff debut
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones continued to silence his critics with a historic playoff debut in Sunday's wild-card win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history to have 300 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and at least 70 rushing yards in a postseason game, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.
While the rest of the league is starting to recognize Jones' talents, running back Saquon Barkley said he already knew the Giants boasted a top-tier signal-caller.
"I know we have an elite quarterback," Barkley said, per Raanan. "He's shown that multiple times."
The 2022 campaign was a make-or-break year for Jones, who had his fifth-year option declined by New York after an inconsistent start to his career.
But with head coach Brian Daboll taking over, Jones began to fulfill the franchise's expectations that were set when it selected him at No. 6 in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The 25-year-old led the Giants to a 9-6-1 record this season while setting career highs in passing yards (3,205), rushing yards (708), rushing touchdowns (seven), passer rating (92.5), and completion percentage (67.2).
Although Jones was the star of the win over Minnesota, he admitted to feeling the game's magnitude before kickoff.
"I think there were definitely some nerves going into it," Jones said. "We were excited. There was a lot of anticipating going into it. Once we settled in and started playing, it felt the same. It was just about execution and doing our job play after play. I thought as a group we did that well."
The Giants will go on the road to face the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round Saturday.