On Thursday night, following a poignant farewell from former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who delivered an emotional statement indicating his departure from the franchise, ESPN anchor Elle Duncan chose to interject her opinion in a rather controversial manner. Her comments sparked considerable debate and raised eyebrows across the sports community.

Duncan took a bold step by completely restructuring her segment to ridicule and undermine Jones, seemingly reveling in the opportunity to do so. This approach drew criticism for its lack of professionalism and sensitivity, especially given the emotional context of Jones’ announcement.

“Typically, we reserve our segment ‘Taking the Elle’ for Fridays, but Giants quarterback Daniel Jones just made a move so bewildering that we had to make an exception,” Duncan remarked. “After being benched today, Jones approached the podium to say goodbye to the franchise and fans, despite the fact that there are still seven games remaining this season.”

“I’m sorry, do you really need to write this down? Didn’t you attend Duke University?” she continued, questioning Jones’ decision to prepare such a statement. Her comments seemed to overlook the gravity of the moment and the emotions involved.

It appears that Duncan may not have fully grasped the tone expected in journalistic discourse, as reflected by Jones’ own release the following Friday. She pressed on with her critique.

“Do you think he had this statement saved in his notes since 2020?” Duncan quipped. “In all seriousness, DJ, I could have saved you about 90 seconds. A quick rewrite could have been: ‘Sorry you invested $180 million for one playoff victory. I look forward to continuing my career as a backup to Brock Purdy.’ That’s it.”

This commentary from Duncan was undeniably harsh and lacking in humor, which did not sit well with Giants senior vice president of communications, Pat Hanlon, who expressed his dissatisfaction publicly.

That an #ESPN personality would mock Daniel Jones’ statement today is mind-boggling. Considering what has unfolded at that organization over the past few years, it’s completely tone-deaf.

— pat hanlon (@giantspathanlon) November 22, 2024

In the wake of the backlash, Duncan doubled down on her controversial remarks, responding defiantly to both the Giants and Hanlon. She defended her stance fiercely.

“You want to label me as disrespectful to Daniel Jones? Am I more disrespectful than the Giants making him a scout team safety? Am I more disrespectful than the fans who have booed him relentlessly for the past six seasons?” Duncan stated on Friday. “I stand by everything I said.”

Duncan seemed to position herself as a victim of criticism after her impulsive and immature comments, which were quickly supported by Stephen A. Smith.

“The New York Giants, with all due respect, shut the hell up. You are a dreadful organization,” Smith stated emphatically. “You are pathetic! The only reason you escape scrutiny is that the Jets have been worse. . . And you have the audacity to reach out to the network because you want to complain about your incompetence being showcased?”

Smith continued his tirade passionately while Duncan, former quarterback Cam Newton, and ex-Giants defensive back Ryan Clark laughed along.

It seems both Duncan and Smith may have missed the point entirely; rather than criticizing the Giants as an organization, they directed their disdain towards Jones, who, while not the best quarterback in franchise history, was a dedicated player loved by the community he served.

As Pat Hanlon pointed out, Duncan, Smith, and ESPN appeared to be tone-deaf, failing to recognize the personal nature of their comments. Their defensiveness following the incident reflected a lack of maturity and understanding. It’s crucial to recognize that personal attacks on players detract from the essence of sportsmanship and respect within the game.