Getty Images Giants QB Daniel Jones had himself one crazy weekend.
Everyone has to pick sides in the New York Giants–Philadelphia Eagles rivalry.
Even country music stars.
Big Blue quarterback Daniel Jones found his way onstage during a Zach Bryan concert at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens — and quickly found out Bryan fancies himself an Eagles fan.
Watch the 2023 ACM Award-winning artist let out a quick “go Birds” after Jones embraced him:
Zach Bryan dropped a “Go Birds” right in Daniel Jones’ face 😂
Zach isn’t the only country star rooting against Jones and the Giants.
Fellow star Luke Bryan shouted out Philly’s UGA-heavy draft haul during his concert in Camden, N.J. the night before his Jones diss, according to CBS News Philadelphia’s Joe Brandt. And according to Sports Illustrated’s Kelsey Hendrix, singer Chris Young is a “huge fan” of the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys.
Neither star trolled a Giants player like that in person, though. Jones hasn’t been tripped up that hard by Philly since his wide open touchdown stumble.
Bryan lives in the City of Brotherly Love and roots hard for the Eagles and Phillies, according to Erich Richter of the New York Post. It’s a shock Jones even ended up onstage with him.
Of course blood runs hot in the NFC East.
Jones held a 2-0 record against the Eagles heading into last season. We’ll see how he rebounds from three straight 2022 losses — and a very public slight from one of country music’s top stars.
Giants’ Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley Spotted Working Out
Jones didn’t make the weekend’s only major guest appearance.
He was joined by Giants holdout Saquon Barkley for an impromptu workout at a North Jersey-area high school, according to WFAN’s Brandon Tierney.
Tierney’s son was playing at the same high school for a district All-Star game when he spotted Barkley and Jones on the field. It could be the first time the duo linked up since Jones and Barkey trained with the Giants offense in Arizona in early April.
What a day!! Boys punch a ticket to states and Big Blue’s dynamic duo getting in some reps on the side field.
So gracious with all of the kids. Absolute class acts.
Giants fans should be just as excited to see these two together as those little leaguers were.
Contract talks are back on between Big Blue and Barkley, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. Barkley spoke at his youth camp about “misleading” reports about his contract demands, but there’s finally some optimism that a deal could happen before the July 17th deadline.
Jones and Barkley both know that deadline is coming — and that still didn’t stop them from linking up for a workout.
Giants’ Darren Waller Not ‘Totally Shocked’ By Trade
The Darren Waller trade reverberated with a lot of fans, players, and armchair quarterbacks.
But it didn’t surprise the former Pro Bowl tight end himself.
Waller said he wasn’t caught off guard because of previous trade rumors when the Raiders dealt him to the Giants for a third-round pick on March 15, according to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Not totally shocked,” Waller told Hill about his instant reaction to the move. “I had heard some things. There were different moments throughout the year that I heard I may be traded or I may not. So the actual event of it wasn’t too shocked.”
It turns out Waller’s trade was less shocking than his destination.
The veteran who caught 286 passes for over 3,400 yards with the Raiders admitted he didn’t expect to end up a Giant. Other teams, like the Green Bay Packers, were interested in Waller at some point, per Rapoport.
New York sealed the deal, though. And so far, Waller has looked like a difference maker for an offense that badly needs one.
“I’m done questioning God and what he’s trying to do,” Waller told Hill. “He’s gotten me to this point. I know that he’s going to continue to have a plan for me, you know?”