New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones simply can't catch a break in the court of public perception. The rising third-year Giants quarterback's run read-options provided some of the most explosive plays Big Blue had on offense in 2020. But all anyone seems to remember is his biggest blooper as a ball carrier.
Jones achieved national infamy in Week 7 of the 2020 season, when an 80-yard run and pretty obvious touchdown ended with Jones tripping and falling just shy of the endzone. While the Giants would finish the drive with a touchdown, more than a fair share of jokes have been made about the run at the Giants quarterback's expense. The Kansas City Chiefs had a lark over it when introducing their fans to Jones with the release of their 2021 schedule.
In an illustration graphic showcasing the Chiefs' 2021 opponents in an Arrowhead Stadium tailgate, Jones is seen eating a slice of New York-style pizza -- with his shoelaces tied together.
The best tailgate spot in all of sports. pic.twitter.com/8gpYmPGjyb
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 12, 2021
Jones can take solace in the fact that being the subject of effigy simply comes with the territory of being a Giants quarterback. His predecessor, Eli Manning, got such treatment from his own city's media -- like when the New York Post photoshopped a "dunce" cap onto him after he made a major clock mismanagement error during a game in 2015.
After Jones was tackled by the dreaded invisible turf monster, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was one of the players from around the league to chime in, with the NFL and Super Bowl LIV MVP quipping that he probably didn't have room to talk.
"I mean i can't even say anything cause i would never be able to run that far either," Mahomes tweeted.
The Giants' trip to play the Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 8 is sure to be an important one, as it presents a major measuring point in where the young Giants are as a team. The Chiefs have been in the AFC Championship Game the past three years and the Super Bowl the past two, with a victory in Super Bowl LIV.
If past precedent is any indication, the history of Giants quarterbacks against the "top" quarterback in the league bodes well for Jones' chances of making Kansas City eat crow. Giants great Phil Simms had great battles against the Joe Montana-led San Francisco 49ers, while Eli Manning's Super Bowl triumphs over the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots are his crowning achievements.
