When the New England Patriots drafted Mac Jones 15th overall in the 2021 draft, most fans and reporters believed it was the right selection. Although he basically fell into their lap, the Patriots were in need of a quarterback after the Cam Newton experiment failed, and Jones' skillset fit the prototypical New England quarterback perfectly.
Coming from the University of Alabama, Jones was coached by Bill Belichick's friend Nick Saban, who coaches very similarly to the long-time Patriots' coach. That familiarity, combined with Josh McDaniels and his play style, made it appear that the team found their quarterback of the future. And his rookie performance all but sealed that assumption in most onlookers' eyes.
But it all came crashing down the following season. McDaniels left to become the new Las Vegas Raiders head coach, and Matt Patricia was positioned to replace him as the offensive coordinator.
Without diving too much into the 2022 season, it was clear the relationship between Jones and Patricia was doomed from the start. Other than allegedly clashing throughout the offseason, the inexperienced offensive coach also had issues with other members of the offense, becoming one of the leading reasons for their struggles.
Jones' performance between his rookie and sophomore seasons looked like night and day, resulting in many questioning his fitness as the Patriots' quarterback long-term.
Besides fickle fans wanting to move on already, it seemed Belichick was also interested in the idea. It was rumored that he explored trade talks for Jones during the offseason, stemming from his poor performance last year and the possible rift between the head coach and quarterback.
But now that it all appears to be settled, with the pair reportedly settling their issues this summer, Jones is the clear QB1 and has been thriving under the guidance of returning offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
Other than it's difficult to believe that this upcoming season will look at all similar to last year, with the additions of better coaching and some great players, it's looking more and more like Jones will have his best pro season yet.
He hasn't had a consistent OC in the NFL
One of the easiest arguments against those who have already decided Mac Jones is not the quarterback for the Patriots is the lack of consistency of the coaches around him since he was drafted.
Although he worked with three different offensive coordinators during his time at Alabama, it's not an ideal scenario for any young quarterback to experience so early in their career. The relationship between Jones and McDaniels was clear from the start, and the quarterback thrived in the system that the longtime New England coach had in place.
It wasn't the perfect rookie season for a quarterback, but it was certainly noteworthy and had all the makings of an even better year two. But that's when things dramatically changed and impacted Jones in more ways than most of us likely realize.
With McDaniels heading west to take another head coaching position, Belichick was forced to look for a new OC to replace his former right-hand man.
Because there seemed to be no in-house replacements, it was believed an outside candidate would be hired, which is what most were hoping for anyway. But when it looked like former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was given the clipboard, any optimism about the potentially great Patriots 2022 season went out the window, including all hope for Jones' sophomore progression.
Despite the offseason hype surrounding the quarterback's training, his struggles on the field with the new play-caller and the new scheme they were attempting to implement lasted all summer. And unfortunately, it didn't look any better during the regular season.
Now that Bill O'Brien is back in Foxboro, who some believe was the initial candidate Belichick wanted to hire last season but couldn't due to his contract with Alabama, Jones has an opportunity to perform how he should have last year.
The duo have spoken highly of each other all summer, and Jones' emphasis on their communication and understanding has not gone unnoticed. He's had his best training camp performance since joining the Patriots, and although they're facing the most brutal schedule in the NFL, Jones is poised to have the comeback season he deserves.
His work ethic hasn't waivered, even after a tough 2022 season
One of the most scrutinized parts of Jones' performance last season was the display of frustration during games and the few outbursts we saw of him on the sideline. Even though the issues within the team were well-known throughout the year, the quarterback was continuously criticized for his demeanor on the field.
Since the season ended and several reports have discussed the dysfunction of the team behind the scenes, it's no wonder that Jones was unable to hold it together on game day. He wasn't the only player who shared these frustrations, as others like Kendrick Bourne and Hunter Henry expressed their opinions on the offensive coordinator and his game planning to the media throughout the season.
It was a clear giveaway from the spring that the Matt Patricia experiment would be a big mistake, perhaps one of the biggest of Belichick's New England tenure. And although he faced a lot of criticism and harsh takes that significantly lowered his confidence, Jones remains a determined and hard-working player.
His work ethic is something that his teammates have constantly mentioned since he was drafted, and they continue to bring attention to it this year as well.
He set up off-season throwing sessions to work with the new receivers.
He's still at the facility almost all day, every day.
And he has been the last player off the field multiple times after practice has finished.
The path to the high road was likely not easy, and the ability to adjust his mindset not to become pessimistic isn't either, but Jones is proving to be more of a pro than what his resume will tell you. His path to success is paved far better than it has been since his rookie season, and hopefully, he can capitalize on it this season to prove the doubters he can be exactly what the Patriots need from their quarterback.
His relationship with Bill Belichick may be at its best right now
Imagine how difficult it must be to have your head coach not express confidence in you to the public on several occasions. That's precisely what Jones had dealt with since arriving in New England.
Of course, Belichick isn't exactly the type of coach who speaks glowingly about any players on the Patriots; he didn't even do it that often when Tom Brady dominated the league for twenty years. But when you have a young quarterback you're trying to develop, avoiding answering questions about your position on him to the point of refusing to name him the starter is probably not the best way to instill confidence in him.
Although things were far from perfect during his rookie season, the relationship between the head coach and quarterback seemed good. Then we saw what looked like the complete opposite just one year later, to the point of rumors swirling that Belichick wanted Jones off the team.
That allegedly began when it was revealed Jones had reached out to his former coaches at Alabama during the 2022 season, asking for their advice about how to deal with the circumstances he was under, having to deal with the inexperience of Matt Patricia. Word got back to Belichick about the calls, seemingly angering the head coach that Jones did so behind his back.
It resulted in a begrudged Belichick unwilling to openly support Jones as the quarterback of the Patriots, so much so that he allegedly toyed with the idea of keeping Bailey Zappe in under center even after Jones returned from his ankle injury.
It then progressed into reports claiming Belichick explored potentially trading Jones this offseason, which came as no surprise as he continued to be aloof when asked about the quarterback's future.
But with less than two weeks left until the start of the 2023 regular season, things look to be back to how they once were between the two, especially since Jones was the last quarterback standing at the roster cutdown deadline and Zappe was waived.
The once-believed replacement of Jones was no longer, seemingly ending the quarterback debate that has remained a conversation as recently as this summer. That may not be a vote of confidence in Jones directly, but it's definitely a move in the right direction, considering where things were in the middle of last season.
Heading into a new season with what Jones has referred to as a "fresh start," Belichick hasn't expressed his overwhelming confidence in the QB1 but ended the rumors about their strained relationship. He has also publicly endorsed him as the starter, even if it was his typical Belichickian way.
Jones has also spoken optimistically about their relationship, revealing the importance of communication and working together while discussing their conversation before training camp.
It may not be great, and maybe it never will be. But at least the relationship between Belichick and Jones looks much improved than at this point last year, which is a giant improvement, all things considered.