NFL analyst under fire for revealing friendship with Mac Jones

When it comes to the media, the Patriots are known for not having very many allies. Even throughout the dynasty years, headlines were littered with negativity, no matter if the team had won or lost.

Although most of it came from the national media, the local coverage was more brutal, making little to no sense. And that, unfortunately, continues today, especially since the team is not performing anywhere close to as well as they did under Tom Brady.

Now that we're entering an era where several of the more prominent members of the Patriots' most successful teams have retired and become analysts on various networks, you'd think that the team would maybe have some nicer words said about them. But that's not the case at all, with unlikely people have been the ones coming to their defense instead.

One of the most vocal of his defense of the Patriots, more so Mac Jones than anyone else, has been former journeyman quarterback Dan Orlovsky, who has been an analyst for ESPN since 2017. Over the last two years, he has been a staunch believer in Jones and defended the young quarterback numerous times, including this season.

Orlovsky's opinions have consistently been reposted on multiple social media platforms, mainly because he is one of the very few to take the time to explain his stance on Jones and why he believes he's a better quarterback than what we've seen. Even though many fans don't agree with him, his takes have mostly been well-received because he is not adding to the sea of negativity that has haunted New England over the last three years.

Because the 2023 season has not been one that will be remembered fondly so far, with Jones being on the receiving end of the most scrutiny, Orlovsky has been the face of setting the record straight about the quarterback's situation and how it's contributed to his poor play.

But all of his commentary is now being called into question by fans and some in the local media after his latest appearance on WEEI's "Jones and Mego" earlier this week.

When asked for his opinion on Jones and his most recent performance against the Bills in Week 7, Orlovsky shared he still takes issue with his footwork and revealed he texts Jones regularly about how to improve that.

Apparently, that is an issue for some fans online, primarily because Orlovsky continues to speak highly of Jones, and a good amount of people believe he's not a good quarterback. Many expressed that they feel it negates all that Orlovsky has ever said about Jones even more because they have a friendship.

Unless things have dramatically changed over the last 48 hours, Jones is not the only professional athlete to have relationships with members of the media. Time and time again, news is broken by analysts and commentators because of their friendships with players in every sport.

It would be naïve to believe that Jones interacting with Orlovsky is unique and unheard of. It also does not necessarily explain why he speaks highly of the Patriots quarterback, as he doesn't receive anything in return for his optimistic takes.

Other than the fact that it takes a quick Google search to see how many athletes are friends with media members and has been for years, there's one crucial aspect that people overlook about Orlovsky: he's a former NFL quarterback.

He also stated that he's watched Jones since he was at Alabama, making him well-versed in the type of player the third-year pro is. Perhaps that's why Jones enjoys speaking to him.

It seems like another non-controversy that some want to be made into a bigger deal simply because it's the Patriots and Mac Jones. This isn't breaking news. This isn't a unique situation., so stop trying to make it one.