HILLSIDE N.J. — A day after the New York Giants benched quarterback Daniel Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito, All-Pro defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence voiced his displeasure with the move.
“You’ve got to respect it as a player even though you don’t like it.”
Lawrence, one of the Giants’ five team captains, provided the first insight into how the New York locker room might be feeling after the team announced the switch amid a 2-8 start to the season.
“That’s my best friend,” Lawrence said Tuesday when speaking at a charity event. “It’s tough for that to happen. I can’t control it. They made the decision based off their evaluations and their thoughts and feelings. … That’s my boy. As a player, you got to keep playing. As a human and as a brother, I feel for him.”
In further partnership with @CampbellsChunky “Chunky Sacks Hunger” initiative, #giants Dexter Lawrence, his wife Donna and volunteers packed 130 boxes at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey today. https://t.co/inoGo2kj0F pic.twitter.com/yZnW2Censx
— Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) November 19, 2024
Lawrence said the Giants’ decision, relayed to the team Monday morning, was received with “a little bit of confusion.”
“Because you don’t know their full thoughts behind it,” Lawrence said. “I think we trust the coaches and where they’re going and where they think we can go. That’s what you have to do. You have to be naïve. You start thinking about the wrong s—, then you start playing like s—, you know what I’m saying? You got to be naïve and trust the process.”
“(Brian Daboll) just said it was a hard decision,” Lawrence added. “I’m sure it’s hard. He’s the QB1. To me, the best quarterback on the team. But they see things differently. I guess that’s all that matters.”
Lawrence and Jones were both drafted in the 2019 class with Jones going No. 6 and Lawrence at No. 17. Over their six seasons together, the Giants have made just one playoff appearance, which came in 2022. Following that season, Jones signed a four-year, $160 million deal. A few months later, Lawrence signed a four-year, $90 million extension. At the time, it seemed like those two would be leading their respective units for the foreseeable future.
While Lawrence has continued to play an elite level (his nine sacks this season rank second in the NFL), things haven’t gone to plan as Jones missed three games with a neck injury and then tore his ACL during the 2023 season. Since signing the extension, the Giants are 3-13 with Jones as starter. Meanwhile, backups Tyrod Taylor and DeVito combined to go 5-6 last season. Throughout Jones’ career as the team starter, the Giants are 24-44-1.
“Teams lose games, not just one player, and I think that should be understood,” Lawrence said.
It’s now DeVito’s turn to take command of the offense and see if, like last year, he can lead the Giants to some wins.
“I got a lot of respect for (DeVito),” Lawrence said. “He has probably the most charisma and confidence I’ve ever seen in a third-string quarterback. That’s good. I respect him for that. He knows who he is, and that’s strong as a person.”
The Giants host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 24.
(Photo: Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
