The Minnesota Vikings certainly stole headlines with the signing of Daniel Jones.
Since the decision, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, starting quarterback Sam Darnold, and even star wide receiver Justin Jefferson have all weighed in. But Jones had not, having yet to arrive and take his physical.
Jones, who asked for and was granted his release from the New York Giants, met with Minnesota media for the first time on Friday. The first question he was asked was why the Vikings?
Jones, who called the last two weeks “crazy,” first pointed to O’Connell.
“I think you look at, offensively, what they’ve been able to do. I think the system, Coach O’Connell, his staff. Just a lot of good things happening across the board as a team, as an organization. But on offense, especially so. Just excited to join that and help out wherever I can,” Jones told reporters on November 29.
“I think you’re always looking to grow and improve. To work on your craft, see where you can get better, and pick up certain things. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to that. But more so just to help out. To be a part of a good quarterback room, part of a good offense and see where I can help.”
“He played the position in the league and has a lot of experience as a coach,” Jones said of O’Connell. “I got to know him through the draft a little bit when he was in Washington, so that was cool. And just – I don’t know. I think his system has been successful. He knows quarterback play, knows how to build the quarterback environment.
“Just being a part of that and learning from him and his whole staff was a great opportunity for me.”
The free-agent-to-be, Jones, is not focused on parlaying this time into something more.
“Just kind of staying, yeah, staying right here and trying to make the very best decision I can right now,” Jones said. “I felt like that was here with Coach O’Connell, with all these guys. And, yeah, like I said, I’m excited to be part of it.”
Despite multiple head coaches and offensive coordinators during his Giants tenure, Jones admitted that the Vikings scheme will be new to him.
He said it was on him to catch up.
“These guys are game-planning and focusing on winning,” Jones said. “I don’t want to slow anything down with that. It’s on me to catch up; to take the time outside of meetings, outside of practice to learn it. And that’s what I’ll do.”
Daniel Jones Praises Vikings’ Sam Darnold
One of the “guys” is Darnold, who has known Darnbold for many years and has even teamed up with him for promotional events and during past Super Bowls.
Jones says he is unlikely to reprise their cornhole days, but still praised Darnold.
“We haven’t had a ton of crossover on film, so I haven’t you know watched too closely,” Jones admitted. “But just from following him – following, seeing some of the games on TV – and, obviously, he’s been playing on an extremely high level and doing a lot of good things.
[I’m] happy for him. I’ve known Sam for a while now and always kind of pulled for him. And he’s had a great year, played at a really high level.”
Daniel Jones ‘All Good’ With New Home Stadium
Jones was also asked if he was over the two matchups between the Giants and Vikings in Minnesota in 2022. They split the meetings, though the Vikings’ win came in the regular season while the Giants won in the playoffs.
“I like U.S. Bank Stadium,” Jones said. “It is an incredible stadium, and the fans there are incredible. So I’m looking forward to being back there and seeing it on Sunday.
“Yeah, it’s all good.”
