The AFC East has added two former Alabama quarterbacks in the past two years.
First, it was the Miami Dolphins who selected Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5 in the 2020 NFL draft. Only a year later, a second gunslinger from Tuscaloosa was taken by an AFC East team.
The New England Patriots swept in and took Mac Jones at No. 15 in the 2021 NFL draft, which means we are likely to see dueling Alabama quarterbacks in that division for the foreseeable future.
After the NFL revealed its Week 1 schedule on Wednesday, we might get to see the two former Tide standouts — both of which were once Heisman Trophy runners-up — face off during the opening week. The Patriots will host the Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 12.
The #Patriots will open their season at home vs the #Dolphins. 4:25pm EST kickoff on CBS.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) May 12, 2021
How epic would it be to see Tagovailoa and Jones going head-to-head during the first week? Jones would be playing in his first NFL game while it would be the first start in a season opener for Tagovailoa.
Granted, that is going to depend on Jones and New England’s quarterback battle. Former Auburn quarterbacks Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham are also on the Patriots roster, and Newton is the favorite to start the season atop the depth chart.
If Jones can somehow prove that he’s capable of being the starter out of the gate, then two Auburn quarterbacks will technically be benched in favor of two Alabama quarterbacks.
Wouldn’t that be something?
If not, we almost certainly get to see them play one another later in the season.
We’ll also get to see Tagovailoa and Jones both play the top two quarterbacks selected in the 2021 NFL draft this season, Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Zach Wilson with the New York Jets.
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