Daniel Jones named Giants’ starting QB for Week 3

The Eli Manning era appears to have officially come to an end in New York.

The Giants announced on Tuesday that rookie Daniel Jones has been named the starting quarterback for Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The decision comes a day after head coach Pat Shurmur hinted that the team was considering benching Manning after an 0-2 start to the season.

Although Shurmur and the Giants expressed confidence in Manning on numerous occasions throughout the offseason, it was only a matter of time before Jones got his shot. The change may have come sooner than some expected, but the Giants are desperate for a spark if they want to somehow salvage their season.

Manning was average at best in New York’s first two games, which was not a surprise for a 38-year-old quarterback whose skills have rapidly diminished in recent years. He completed 62 percent of his passes with an average of 6.2 yards per completion. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Giants traded up to draft Jones this year in a move that was highly scrutinized, but the former Duke star was impressive during training camp. It’s possible Manning could see playing time at some point again this season if Jones is a complete disaster or gets hurt, but this may ultimately spell the end of the two-time Super Bowl champion’s career.