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New York Giants bench longtime quarterback Eli Manning in favor of rookie Daniel Jones

Posted at 10:33 AM, Sep 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-17 11:05:50-04

Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Head coach Pat Shurmur announced Daniel Jones will make his first career start Sunday, when the New York Giants face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Eli Manning, the team’s longtime starter and a two-time Super Bowl most valuable player, will serve as the backup.

“Eli and I spoke this morning,” Shurmur said according to Giants.com. “I told him that we are making a change and going with Daniel as the starter. I also talked to Daniel. Eli was obviously disappointed, as you would expect, but he said he would be what he has always been, a good teammate, and continue to prepare to help this team win games. Daniel understands the challenge at hand, and he will be ready to play on Sunday.”

Daniel Jones #8 and Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Manning, a two-time Super Bowl winner, completed 56 of 89 passes for 556 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the season’s first two games – both Giants losses. The Giants have scored just four touchdowns in the first two weeks.

Eli, 38, has been the Giants’ starting quarterback since he replaced Kurt Warner with seven games remaining in his rookie season in 2004. He has started 232 of the Giants’ last 233 regular-season games. The loss Sunday to the Bills dropped his record to an even .500 at 116-116.

Jones, 22, was the sixth overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. In three seasons at Duke, Jones started all 36 games in which he played. With the Blue Devils, Jones completed 764 of 1,275 passes (60%) for 8,201 yards, 52 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He also had 406 rushing attempts for 1,323 yards (3.3-yard avg.) and 17 touchdowns.

Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Manning holds all of the Giants’ career passing records, including attempts (8,061, which places him sixth in NFL history), completions (4,860, sixth), passing yards (56,537, seventh) and touchdown passes (362, eighth).