On one of his very first passes of training camp, New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones took the snap, did a quick survey of the field and uncorked a pass toward the sideline that seemed to go to no one in particular.
Immediately, video of that throw was picked up by Jones’ detractors and spread via social media with witty captions — none of which were flattering — all with the intent of mocking the Giants.
Running back Saquon Barkley got wind of the video and mockery following the team’s second practice on Friday afternoon and rather than biting his tongue, he took aim at Jones’ detractors. And he didn’t go soft on them.
These sort of criticisms have been common for both Jones and veteran quarterback Eli Manning in recent years. Poor routes, dropped passes, good defensive reads and safety valves do not seem to factor in — the only thing that matters is a window of opportunity to bash the Giants’ quarterback(s).
It’s actually refreshing to see a teammate — and a leader like Barkley — step up and offer a correction because it’s this sort of narrative that clings to a player and establishes falsehoods that then get slung on network television and in newspapers.
Hopefully, for the entertainment purposes alone, Barkley continues to slam the armchair general managers for their lack of football knowledge.
