New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones didn’t have the sophomore season that he had hoped for in 2022.
Expectations were high after his impressive rookie season. He threw for 3,800+ yards in 2021 and threw 22 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting, and was named to a Pro Bowl where he had a 65-yard touchdown run.
Mac Jones Receives Rave Reviews From Teammates And Coaches
Continued positive reviews from teammates/coaches who have been around Mac Jones the longest.
– "Confident. Leading like we know he can."
– "Ready to remind you (media/fans) why he was a playoff QB in year one."
– "Energized" by the change (Bill O'Brien as OC). pic.twitter.com/RQRRRqavHY
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) May 19, 2023
The Patriots qualified for the playoffs that first year. And while they didn’t fare well in the postseason, it was a solid start to Jones’ career. During the ensuing off-season, he was ranked by his peers as the 85th best player in football on NFL Network’s Top 100 list.
Things didn’t go so well during his second year. An injury early in the season forced him to miss three games, but his return was exactly met with trumpets and fan fare. Instead, he was benched in a Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears in favor of Bailey Zappe. Jones would return to be the starter the following week, but his numbers suffered.
While he played in just 14 games, Mac Jones failed to pass for more than 3,000 yards. He threw 14 touchdowns, but his 11 interceptions were the most of any quarterback who played in less than 15 games. The team went 6-8 in the games that he started, and the Patriots missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Offseason work.@MacJones_10 | #ForeverNE pic.twitter.com/gjq1rz09a0
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 19, 2023
One potential place of blame was the change at offensive coordinator before the start of last season. Josh McDaniels had left to coach the Las Vegas Raiders, and Matt Patricia, who is known as a defensive coordinator, was put in charge of New England’s offense.
That will change again this summer, as there is yet another new OC in town. But this time, Jones thinks things will work out better. Reporter Mike Giardi has spoken with the quarterback’s coaches and teammates, who all have solid reviews. According to them, Jones is “energized” by the arrival of Bill O’Brien as the coordinator, and that he is “ready to remind you why he was a playoff QB in year 1.”
It is an interesting twist on a story that made headlines back a couple of months back. In early April, it was reported that the Patriots had shopped Mac Jones to multiple teams, and that he was in fact on the trade block. But now that the draft has passed us by and most of the veteran starting quarterback options have been depleted, Jones may be the best option that New England has for the near future.