After Daniel Jones’ third year in the NFL, the most common nickname analysts and fans had for him was “bust.” It was warranted, too. Jones’ career had not been pretty, featuring a modest 51:31 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an ugly 18-27 career record.

During Jones’ time under center, the Giants have been constantly plagued with injuries. Whether it was the offensive line, Saquon Barkley—or, really, the whole receiving core that was out, Jones was always the man most affected. For much of his career, he’s been walking out with new guys at different positions almost every week. If you ask any player or coach, they will tell you this is not a recipe for success. Even with the fourth-highest-paid receiving corps in the NFL, the constant injuries the Giants have dealt with have led to guys like David Sills, Marcus Johnson, and Richie James Jr. getting significant playing time at the wideout position, where they have been most relentlessly beset by injuries.

On top of being haunted by injuries, Daniel Jones has been under the guidance of three different coaching staffs in four seasons; in fact, Jones would have to go back to college (at Duke University) to remember the last time he had a head coach for more than two years. When a new head coach comes in, usually he brings in a whole new staff and scheme that needs to be memorized and understood to be effective. Well, Jones and the Giants hope that they have finally found their regime of the future in Brian Daboll (head coach), Mike Kafka (offensive coordinator), Wink Martindale (defensive coordinator), and Joe Schoen (GM).

Throughout all this adversity Daniel Jones has faced, he has played good football for the Giants through the first eight games. Daniel led the injury plagued G-Men to five comeback wins and a 6-2 record through the first half of the season, with three big-time upsets against the Titans, Packers, and Ravens.

None of those wins were more outstanding and unpredictable than the Giants’ 24-20 victory over a very talented Baltimore Ravens team, where Danny Dimes and the Giants let teams know they are for real. Jones passed for 173 yards and two touchdowns against a stout Baltimore Ravens defense, and while the yardage doesn’t jump off the statline, Daniel Jones played solid, turnover-free football when he had to show up. As long as the Giants have a generational running back like Saquon Barkley in the backfield, Daniel Jones won’t need to throw for big yards and numerous touchdowns.

No matter your opinion on Jones, what you cannot deny is his toughness. Jones has been battered, beaten and bruised during the whole season. After suffering an ankle sprain in Week 4, which sidelined him for the fourth quarter of the Giants’ victory over the Bears, Jones returned to the field the next week to pull off an upset over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers where he passed for 217 yards while playing effective, situational football. With performances like that, it’s no wonder he’s since been named an NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Every single week, you see Daniel Jones making plays with both his legs and his arms, no matter how banged up he is. On top of this, he is leading a depleted Giants offense to success. It might just be time to give Daniel Jones the respect he deserves.

This past offseason, the New York Giants denied Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option, so he is set to become a free agent once this season is over. Heading into the 2022-2023 season, the chances of Jones coming back on a new contract were already slim to none—but through the first half of the season, Jones has shown that he can be Big Blue’s guy of the future. If he keeps playing well and the Giants keep winning, there’s no reason why he can’t be back next year.