Daniel Jones, Giants feeling guilty for Pat Shurmur’s downfall

Pat Shurmur believed in Daniel Jones when others didn’t.

Daniel Jones believed in Pat Shurmur when others didn’t.

The Giants drafted Jones higher than many projected — and fired Shurmur sooner than some expected.

“Just disappointed,” Jones said Monday, as the Giants cleared out their lockers and reacted to Shurmur’s dismissal. “I’m grateful to him for the opportunity. I think he’s an excellent football coach. The players are very, very largely responsible for how this season has gone. I certainly feel responsible, and I think that’s the tough part.”

Shurmur addressed the team one final time and left Giants headquarters at 11 a.m. He said goodbye to team employees and media but declined comment when approached by The Post.

“We worked our butts off the last two years and there weren’t any distractions. We all have a hand in this, and you just feel bad because we wish we could’ve done better,” tight end Evan Engram said. “Coach Shurmur did everything in his power to try to make us better.”

Eli Manning, who was blindsided when Shurmur benched him after an 0-2 start, said he and Shurmur had a “great relationship.”

The Giants did not fire their coordinators and assistant coaches, some of whom will pursue other opportunities, some of whom have expiring contracts and some of whom will stay and interview with the next head coach.

“We didn’t play well enough. We didn’t win enough games,” Manning said. “I feel for him and all the coaches.”

Saquon Barkley, who voiced support for Shurmur in the final weeks of the regular season, is one of dozens of first- and second-year players on the Giants experiencing their first taste of the business side of the NFL.

“I was surprised by it. We’re all upset,” Barkley said. “I’ve been preaching all season whenever anyone asked me about what I think about if our coaching staff are the right people, I always kept saying it’s easy to point the finger at one person. You don’t want to see anybody go out like that.”

For more on the Giants firing Pat Shurmur, listen to the latest episode of the “Blue Rush” podcast: