When New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a neck injury on Sunday in Miami, the reaction from some fans was over the top.
Almost immediately on social media and in online forums, there was a subsection of Giants fans who cheered the injury.
Buy Giants Tickets“It’s good in this case,” one Giants fan wrote. “Because ending his career however the way it could end, is a very good thing. Jones is a (expletive) loser. Defending this piece of (expletive) 40 million dollar QB is sickening.”
Another fan quickly came to his defense.
“It’s a legitimate position,” the other fan wrote in a since-deleted post. “You don’t have to like it. He’s only saying what others are also thinking. Jones sucks.”
But it wasn’t just online that this disgusting behavior boiled to the surface. It happened in real time at Hard Rock Stadium.
As Jones headed into the blue medical tent, a Giants fan shouted disparaging comments at Jones. This caught the attention of running back Saquon Barkley, who missed the game because of a high ankle sprain.
Barkley snapped back at the fan.
Saquon beefing with fans on the sidelines lol pic.twitter.com/4S0heW4BLP
— Danny Dimes🪙 To Hyatt🍊 (@BallsDeepInYm3) October 8, 2023
After the video surfaced, Barkley posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, to clarify that he wasn’t beefing with all Giants fans, just the one who was saying “crazy” stuff about Jones.
“Stop reaching and trying to make it a me vs fans thing I’m not gonna just sit there and not say anything while you talk crazy to 8 after he just got hurt… buddy knew he was in the wrong,” Barkley wrote.
Another Giants fan who claims to have overheard the exchange confirmed that it was an isolated incident.
“It was a Giants fan. I was right there and heard/saw the entire thing. That Giants fan was an idiot and an (expletive),” the fan wrote.
There has been a growing conflict between Giants players and fans this season as frustrations mount. Last week, right tackle Evan Neal called the fans hot dog-flipping “sheep” before issuing what seemed to be a sincere apology.
Although fans are clearly discouraged by the team’s performance this year, there’s no room for some of this behavior. Likewise, the players themselves should avoid taking shots at fans.
However, in this case, Barkley’s defense of Jones is completely warranted.
