Sam Darnold is “excited” about Daniel Jones’ next NFL chapter in Minnesota.
On Wednesday, the same day it was reported the former Giants quarterback is signing with the Vikings, the team’s current signal-caller said he’s “very happy to be teammates with Jones,” who was released by Big Blue last Friday after five-and-a-half rollercoaster seasons.
“Signing DJ today, very happy to be able to be teammates with him,” Darnold said, according to Pro Football Talk. “Spent some time with him in the past. Great guy, just excited to get him in here and be teammates with him. He’s played a lot of football, so just to be able to draw from his experience on certain things is going to help this football team.”
Darnold and Jones played in a cornhole tournament together in February 2020.
Jones, who was demoted from the Giants’ starter last Monday to fourth-string, was looking to land with a playoff contender after his release and found a new home with the flourishing 9-2 Vikings, currently second in a loaded NFC North.
“Daniel Jones wanted to spend the rest of this season with a playoff contender, around a nurturing head coach such as Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings met all qualifications,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday of the former first-round pick’s decision.
O’Connell, the Vikings’ third-year head coach, has helped resurrect Darnold’s career following a rocky start that began with the Jets in 2018. He bounced around from Carolina to San Francisco, spending the 2023 season as Brock Purdy’s backup on the Niners.
Darnold has thrown 21 touchdowns against 10 interceptions through 11 games this year and has completed 67.6 percent of his passes.
O’Connell said Wednesday that Jones is expected to arrive in Minnesota on Friday morning.
“Very much looking forward to that,” O’Connell said Wednesday. “Good addition to our quarterback room. I love our quarterback room already.”
The Giants’ sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones posted a 24-44-1 record as a starter and led the team to a surprise playoff run in 2022, including a win over Minnesota in a January 2023 wild-card game.
Though the Eagles topped the Giants in the divisional round that year, Jones was awarded a four-year, $160 million contract extension following a regular season in which he threw 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Jones, who suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2023 season, has gone 3-13 in his past 16 starts.
The former Duke product signed on the Vikings’ practice squad for now, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.
Nick Mullens is Minnesota’s backup, followed by Brett Rypien.
The Vikings host the Cardinals (6-5) on Sunday.
