Daniel Jones expressed his thank yous and regrets to the New York Giants on Thursday in what sounded like an emotional goodbye from the quarterback to the organization following his demotion earlier in the week.

Turns out, that’s exactly what it was.

Team owner John Mara announced a parting of the ways with Jones on Friday and offered a further explanation regarding the team’s divorce from its 2019 first-round pick, who was expected to be the longtime successor to two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

‘Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him,’ Mara said in a statement.

‘We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team. Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

All things Giants: Latest New York Giants news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Thus ends Jones’ tenure in New York, not quite halfway through a four-year, $160 million extension he signed following what seemed like a breakout 2022 season, one that saw Big Blue advance to the divisional round of the playoffs as he played the best football of his career.

But Jones tore an ACL midway through the 2023 season and regressed to many of his poor habits in 2024, namely his penchant for turnovers. That cost him his QB1 post and, ultimately, his job.

‘The opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true, and I’m extremely grateful to the Mara and Tisch families for the chance to play here. The Giants are truly a first-class organization, and I have nothing but genuine respect and appreciation for the people who have built it and who helped carry on that tradition,’ Jones said in a prepared statement to reporters Thursday.

‘I’ve met so many special people and created relationships that will truly last a lifetime. Thank you to all my teammates, coaches and staff that have done so much for me these past six years. There have been some great times but, of course, we all wish there had been more of those. I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. No one wanted to win more games worse than me, and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation. Of course, this season has been disappointing for all and, of course, I wish I could have done more. I’m 100% accountable for my part. I did not play well enough, consistently enough to help the team get the results.

‘The reality of the NFL is it’s hard to win games, and it requires consistent performance from everyone involved. We didn’t do that well enough. … I love the game. I love being part of a team. I’m excited for the next opportunity. I know that there’s a lot of good football in front of me, and I’m excited about that. To all the fans, I have deep respect and appreciation for your passion and love for the Giants. The fans are a huge part of what makes playing for the Giants so special. Thank you.’

By releasing him, the Giants will incur a cap hit of more than $69 million, though Jones had no guarantees beyond this season. Other NFL clubs will have the opportunity to claim him once he hits the waiver wire, but given his salary – namely, the prorated portion of his $35.5 million base pay in 2024 – it’s more likely he will reach free agency.

‘I got a lot of respect for him,’ Giants coach Brian Daboll said of Jones on Friday.

‘Like I’ve said, a true pro and wish him all the best.’

New York is currently 2-8 and in last place in the NFC East. The team revealed this week that Tommy DeVito, who filled in as a rookie for Jones in 2023, would assume the QB1 role while veteran Drew Lock continues to serve as the backup. The addition of journeyman Tim Boyle to the practice squad made it clear the team had no intention of playing Jones again or risking the potential of triggering an additional $23 million injury guarantee.

The No. 6 overall draft pick in 2019 out of Duke, Jones closes his time with the Giants with 14,582 passing yards, 70 TD passes and 73 turnovers (47 interceptions and 26 fumbles). His career passer rating is 84.3. He also rushed for 2,179 yards and 15 TDs, his effectiveness generally at its peak when he leveraged his athleticism.

His record over 71 starts, including playoffs, is 25-45-1.

‘I want to play. I want to be on the field. I tried to do as much as I could to make that possible and create a situation where we were both comfortable,’ Jones said when asked if he’d considered waiving his injury guarantee.

‘Most of those discussions went on with my agent and with (general manager) Joe (Schoen). I want to play. I want to be on the field. But it’s the unfortunate business side of the game, too.’

This story has been updated with new information.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor has been found liable for a 2018 sexual assault in a civil lawsuit filed in Ireland.

A jury on Friday in Dublin found that McGregor sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in December 2018. Hand filed a civil suit in early 2021 alleging that while intoxicated, McGregor and another man, James Lawrence, had sex with her without her consent. Full criminal charges were not pursued.

The jury, according to Irish Mirror journalist Paul Healy, who has been in the courtroom throughout the trial, returned a verdict that included damages amounting to around €250,000 (nearly the same in U.S. dollars). The jury returned its verdict in a little more than six hours.

The jury said Lawrence did not assault Hand. During the trial, Hand’s attorney said McGregor and Lawrence made a combined effort to have Lawrence take the fall, rather than McGregor.

Hand was seeking damages – general, special, aggravated, and punitive – for the incident and her inability to work due to mental health reasons, according to court documents. In the statement of the claim reported by The New York Times in 2021, Hand sought damages of $1.79 million-$2.13 million.

McGregor and his legal team were in the courtroom for the verdict, as was McGregor’s wife, Dee Devlin, with whom he shares four children, the first of whom was born in late 2017. McGregor admitted under oath during the trial that he had sex with Hand during the incident in question in late 2018 but said it was consensual.

McGregor has not fought since a July 2021 TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. It’s been more than eight years since he most recently held a UFC title, which was stripped from him for failure to defend. Although he was tapped to coach on “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite Michael Chandler and fight afterward, that fight has not come to fruition.

Conor McGregor says he will appeal decision

Hand spoke to reporters from a pre-written statement outside the courthouse moments after the verdict was handed down.

“I’m overwhelmed. I’m touched by the support I’ve received from everybody,” Hand said. ”… (My daughter) has given me the strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing for justice. I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that if something happens to you, you can stand up for yourself – no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.”

(This story and headline have been updated for clarity.)

The 2024 NFL regular season is about to roll into its final act, as the completion of Week 12 will mark the point at which this year’s campaign is two-thirds complete.

The weekend will also mark the final pitstop for franchises, with six teams on byes before everyone is in action the rest of the way. And while the thinned-out schedule might not be replete with big games, there are several intriguing matchups, including an afternoon tilt between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers, the Sunday night showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, and the Monday capper between the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers – better known as the Harbaugh Bowl.

Here are bold predictions for Week 12 from USA TODAY Sports’ NFL writers:

Kyler Murray will sting the Seahawks for a long touchdown run

There’s long…and there’s Kyler Murray long. The fleet-footed Arizona Cardinals quarterback has two TD runs of at least 44 yards this season, including the 50-yard jaunt at San Francisco that is the longest by any NFL quarterback since the start of the 2023 season. With Arizona (6-4) holding first place in the NFC West as it takes a four-game winning streak to Seattle, the Seahawks (5-5) should be plenty wary. I’m guessing that Murray – who has five runs of at least 20 yards this season – will exploit Seattle’s 27th-ranked run defense for a big play or two from his legs. Ask the Chiefs about the impact of a running quarterback, given Josh Allen’s game-sealing, 26-yard run for the Bills last weekend. Then again, Murray can be just as much of a threat with his arm. He will carry a franchise-record streak of 17 consecutive completions into Sunday’s game as he comes off his sixth career game with at least an 80% completion rate (22-of-24) in the Week 10 romp against the Jets. It’s worth noting that Allen is the only quarterback to pass for 17,000 yards and run for 2,500 in fewer games than Murray. It took Murray 73 games to hit those marks; Allen, 71 games. Other milestones may beckon. Consider that Murray has two of the three longest TD runs ever by a Cardinals quarterback, but Charley Trippi’s record (59 yards, vs. Chicago Bears) has stood since 1952.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

— Jarrett Bell

Tommy DeVito throws for 300 yards, 3 TDs against Buccaneers

Everybody’s favorite North Jersey Italian is back, and I’m not talking about Tony Soprano. Fire up the grill for those chicken cutlet sandwiches to pass out Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Practice that “chef’s kiss” emoji. Tommy DeVito is back, and he’s here to play the Giants out of top-five draft position in an already-lost season for the second straight year. 

Which means DeVito will waste no time stuffing the stat sheet and potentially put up the best single-game numbers by a New York quarterback in 2024 – including the Jets’ Aaron Rodgers. 

Daniel Jones, benched after the team’s bye, threw for more than 250 yards twice prior to his demotion, but never eclipsed the 300-yard mark. The Buccaneers are the opponent to do it against – the team’s pass defense ranks 30th in yards allowed per game.

DeVito, 26, went 3-3 in six starts last season. However many games he wins over the next six weeks may actually help keep the Giants in quarterback limbo, but the memories built along the way are what matters, right? 

— Chris Bumbaca

Saquon Barkley’s big night leads to scrimmage yards milestone

I wrote that Saquon Barkley is an NFL Offensive Player of the Year front-runner this week. The Eagles running back leads the NFL with 1,347 yards from scrimmage. Barkley is only 153 total yards from becoming the fourth player in NFL history with at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage in his first 11 games with a team. I predict Barkley will rush for 150 yards and have 50 receiving yards against a Los Angeles Rams defense that gives up 127 rushing yards per game and allows over 4 yards per carry. The Rams’ front seven is young and talented, but the Eagles’ stout offensive line and Barkley will have a big advantage on Sunday night.

Barkley’s performance will help the Eagles win their seventh-consecutive game as Philadelphia takes control of the NFC East. Maybe the New York Giants, especially after Daniel Jones was benched, regret letting Barkley walk.

— Tyler Dragon

Justin Jefferson passes Ja’Marr Chase for NFL receiving yards lead

Jefferson is 144 yards back of his friend and former LSU teammate for the No. 1 spot. With the Cincinnati Bengals on a bye, the Minnesota Vikings star has a chance to pull out in front. To do so, however, he’d need a season-best performance.

Defenses have geared up to stop Jefferson, with coach Kevin O’Connell saying this week that the coverages thrown his way are unlike anything that other receivers are facing. The Chicago Bears aren’t likely to let up, as a unit that ranks ninth in passing yards allowed per game can throw Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson and plenty of additional help at him. Still, Jefferson has been held under 80 yards just once since Week 2, and a big play – like the one Chicago surrendered last week when Johnson got tangled up with Christian Watson on a 60-yard gain – could put him over the top.

— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

In terms of pure unpredictability and variety of possible outcomes with two weeks left until conference championship weekend, no Power Four league can match the Big 12.

After No. 15 Brigham Young’s loss to Kansas, there’s even a scenario that has Baylor playing for the conference title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Yes, Baylor, which lost three in a row to open Big 12 play but is riding a four-game winning streak into Saturday’s game at Houston.

Things are getting clearer in the ACC, Big Ten and even the SEC. We’re down to three contenders in the ACC, with the possibility the race is decided this weekend. Likewise in the Big Ten, where No. 5 Indiana could secure a date with No. 1 Oregon by beating No. 2 Ohio State.

Here’s the current state of the Power Four race entering Week 13:

ACC

Contenders: No. 12 SMU (6-0), No. 16 Clemson (7-1), No. 10 Miami (5-1).

Clemson sits in the clubhouse with one conference loss, needing Miami to drop one of two against Wake Forest and Syracuse to reach the ACC championship game. Should Miami win out, the Hurricanes will nudge ahead of Clemson because of the common-opponent result against Louisville. SMU and Miami will meet in the case that all three teams have just one league loss, again because of the Louisville result.

That means the only way SMU gets bounced is by losing to both Virginia and California. If Miami loses once and the Mustangs lose twice, the Hurricanes will face Clemson because of a better overall record against common opponents.

In other words, SMU can clinch an ACC championship game berth with a win on Saturday against the Cavaliers.

WEEKEND FORECAST: Week 13 college football picks for every Top 25 game

PLAYOFF PREDICTION: Colorado enters field, Alabama grabs first-round bye

Big 12

Contenders: Brigham Young (6-1), No. 18 Colorado (6-1), No. 22 Arizona State (5-2), No. 21 Iowa State (5-2), Baylor (4-3).

We’ll have to wait one more week to get real clarity in the Big 12.

BYU meets Arizona State and can take a big step toward earning a spot in the title game with a win. Likewise with Colorado and its matchup at Kansas. In fact, the race could be settled by Sunday: BYU can clinch with a win and an Iowa State loss to Utah, and Colorado can clinch with a victory combined with wins by BYU and Iowa State.

Here’s where things get tricky. Arizona State gets in by winning out unless Colorado and Iowa State win out and BYU loses the finale against Houston. Iowa State are in by beating Utah and Kansas State along with a loss one of these next two weeks by BYU and Colorado.

Yes, there’s even a convoluted way for Baylor to beat Houston and Kansas and play for the conference championship. Here’s how that goes:

Start with this Saturday. Arizona State beats BYU. Colorado beats Kansas. Iowa State beats Utah. Kansas State beats Cincinnati. Texas Tech tops Oklahoma State. TCU beats Arizona. West Virginia beats Central Florida.

Next weekend, the Bears would need UCF to win against Utah, Colorado to beat Oklahoma State, Arizona to beat rival Arizona State, Houston to beat BYU, TCU to beat Cincinnati, Kansas State to beat Iowa State and Texas Tech to beat WVU.

That would leave Colorado in sole possession of first place and an eight-way tie for second. In this scenario, Baylor rises to the top by comparing records against common opponents or combined conference opponent winning percentage.

Big Ten

Contenders: Oregon (8-0), Indiana (7-0), Ohio State (6-1), No. 4 Penn State (6-1).

Oregon has clinched a seat in the Big Ten title game, the league announced on Tuesday. The other spot could be determined on Saturday. Indiana will meet the Ducks with a win at Ohio State, since the Hoosiers will also edge past Penn State by virtue of the common-opponent comparison against the Buckeyes.

Ohio State isn’t in with a win. It can secure that spot then following that victory with a defeath of Michigan or with a loss to the Wolverines combined with losses by Indiana to Purdue and the Penn State to Maryland. Penn State’s path to playing Oregon requires the Nittany Lions to win out while beats Indiana and loses to Michigan.

In terms of placing all four teams in the playoff, the Big Ten’s dream scenario would be for Indiana to lose a very competitive game to Ohio State, which then win against Michigan. The Buckeyes would be in the field regardless of what happens in the rematch with Oregon in the conference championship game, while Indiana and Penn State make the cut by having just one close loss to one of the top-ranked teams in the country.

SEC

Contenders: No. 3 Texas (5-1), No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1), No. 10 Georgia (6-2), No. 7 Alabama (4-2), No. 9 Mississippi (4-2).

Losses this past weekend by LSU and Missouri have cut the list of eligible SEC teams to five. Should Texas and Texas A&M win this weekend against Kentucky and Auburn, respectively, their rivalry game to end November will send the winner to the conference championship game as the only SEC team with only one conference loss.

Alabama is the winner in the case of a four-way tie for second involving teams with two league losses. Should A&M finish 7-1, the Crimson Tide would advance to meet the Aggies by virtue of owning the best conference opponent winning percentage in conference play. Heading into Saturday, Alabama’s opponents are a combined 27-26 in the SEC, ahead of the Bulldogs (23-28), Volunteers (23-28), Rebels (22-33) and Longhorns (21-32).

One loss would eliminate the Tide. In that case, Georgia would meet the winner of Texas and A&M. That’s because the Bulldogs would have a better record against common opponents than Ole Miss and would have head-to-head tiebreakers against Tennessee and Texas.

A&M can still play for the championship with another Alabama loss and a loss to Texas, should the Longhorns lose to Kentucky. In that case of this five-way tie at 6-2, the Aggies and Bulldogs would meet by virtue of owning the two best conference opponent winning percentage.

Ole Miss needs some help. To play for the conference title, the Rebels need A&M to win out, Alabama to lose once, Tennessee to lose to Vanderbilt and Texas to lose twice. That would leave the Rebels tied with Georgia at 6-2 in conference play and send them to Atlanta because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Tennessee has not been officially ruled out, but the path for the Volunteers to play in Atlanta does not appear to be possible.