Now that he is coaching around New York again, Rick Pitino is paying attention to the discourse, and he has some thoughts on Daniel Jones.
The St. John’s head coach used his X account to weigh in on the debate around Jones. Pitino said he was watching some sports shows while working out — presumably ESPN’s “Get Up!,” which discussed Jones on Friday morning — and had grown tired of the debate around the Giants quarterback. In Pitino’s mind, the idea of the Giants moving on from Jones is nonsense, and patience is a must.
Pitino suggested the Giants work on bolstering their offensive line to avoid another Geno Smith situation, in which Smith became a legitimate starting quarterback only after leaving the New York Jets.
Working out n these shows keep asking should the Giants trade @Daniel_Jones10 . Why not talk about things that possibly could happen. Give Danny Dimes some protection n he will be terrific. Patience is a virtue – no more Geno Smith's becoming outstanding elsewhere
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) February 16, 2024
Jones is heading into his sixth season in 2024, so many were eager to point out to Pitino that the Giants have been plenty patient with their quarterback. He struggled last season, throwing just two touchdowns and six interceptions in six games before suffering a season-ending neck injury. All of that has led at least one insider to predict that he is probably finished with the organization.
Pitino may want to see Jones get another shot with the Giants, but he is likely in the minority. The quarterback just has not shown enough consistency when healthy to secure his place as the team’s long-term answer at the position. If he winds up succeeding elsewhere, though, Pitino can say he told you so.
