Daniel Jones’ long road back to action finally here: ‘Really proud he’s my quarterback’

It has been a long and lonely road back to his huddle, a long and lonely road across nine months on which only a man on a mission could scoff at the potholes and beat the odds and fully expect to complete the journey ahead of everyone else’s schedule.

And Saturday in Houston, when Daniel Jones returns to his dream job as New York Giants quarterback, he will return with more admiration and respect from his teammates than perhaps he has ever known … teammates who were there when his right knee crumpled to the ground Nov. 5 at Las Vegas, and teammates who had only watched him from afar.

“It’s not easy. A lot of people don’t think about how many months he’s spent here in the offseason when guys are going on vacation and guys are back home and whatnot,” Micah McFadden told The Post. “He’s been up here grinding and getting healthy. Just admire the way he’s attacked it. Tons of respect for him, and excited to see him get back out there this weekend.”

No one will be more excited than Jones — free of doubts about his knee, free of concern about his neck, free to play quarterback again, and better than he did in his six games of running for his life last season.

“I’m ready to go. I’m ready to play as much as Dabs wants me to play,” he said, referring to head coach Brian Daboll.

Jones has moved effortlessly, and his deep-ball accuracy has improved following the predictable early training-camp rust.