Category: Mac Jones

Patriots are reportedly ‘ecstatic’ with Mac Jones entering Year 2

Mac Jones is putting in the work to be great and overcome inevitable obstacles in his second year.

There’s a lot of hype around Mac Jones entering his second year, despite the departure of Josh McDaniels and other coaches on the offensive side.

For many players in this crucial developmental stage, there’s a need for consistency and familiarity within the organization. But, Jones has already admitted that he’s no stranger to change — McDaniels believes he can adjust to these changes also. It takes a certain level of dedication and an ability to learn from those around them, and Jones has both of those characteristics.

It also takes a connection with his team and Jones is already beloved by the group around him. He’s been building bonds with the Patriots skilled players during offseason workouts, and even showing up to the occasional Boston Celtics playoff game together.

For these reasons, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote a column and discussed the Patriots’ excitement for Jones entering next season.

This shouldn’t be very surprising, but the Patriots sound ecstatic with quarterback Mac Jones’ offseason dedication. Jones has spent long hours at Gillette Stadium, often beating the coaching staff into the building to get a jump-start on film study for the day. He is also taking ownership of the offense, willing to vouch for plays and concepts that he likes and pump the brakes on the stuff that hasn?t worked.

Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record with a playoff berth as a rookie, while throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He has a healthy offensive line this year and a group of receivers that includes Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor and Tyquan Thornton.

The Patriots have Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, James White and Pierre Strong Jr. at running back. Jones has the tools for the success and the team believes he has the work ethic to make a huge jump in his sophomore season.

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Joe Judge explains how he plans to coach Patriots QB Mac Jones

Joe Judge isn’t going to reinvent the wheel when it comes to coaching Mac Jones.

Joe Judge has a brand new task ahead of him in his career — coaching quarterbacks.

Judge was a longtime special teams coach for the New England Patriots before joining the New York Giants as the head coach. While discussing his specific role, Judge still said he will help out with other positions in the offense.

“I’ll give you a direct answer right there, not to be evasive on anything,” Judge said, via NBC Sports Boston. “I am working with Mac, as well as some other people on the offense. I’m working with all the skill groups on the offense. I would say all of us are working collectively as a coaching unit to work with the entire offense.

“So that’s the most direct and specific answer I can give you on that, guys. In terms of who’s coaching each position, you’ll see me on the field with the quarterbacks.”

When it comes specifically to Jones and the quarterbacks, Judge has a plan prepared.

“I’ve been very excited to work with Mac,” Judge said, transcribed by NESN. “My job is to do everything in my power to prepare him on a daily basis, and for me, it starts with fundamentals. That’s just the way I see it. If you don’t have good fundamentals, every play is doomed from the start. And if you look at any player at any level, no matter how long they’ve been playing — whether it’s Year 1, Year 2, as it for Mac, or Year 13 or 14 — this time of year and training camp especially, you’ve got to get on the fundamentals.

“You have to start with a strong base. You’ve got to work on their footwork. You have to work on their mechanics. You have to work on the different throws they have to make. And I’m a firm believer in doing the things you’re going to do and doing them repeatedly. I know there’s a lot of clever and cute drills, a lot of things that look really cool and go out there and look like a guru. I’m a big believer in practicing what you’re going to do over and over, and for me, with a quarterback, that’s footwork. That’s what it is.”

He isn’t planning on changing Jones’ throwing motion.

“I’m a big believer,” he said, “that at this level of football, you’re not going to do much to change someone’s throwing motion — and I’m not saying that would apply to Mac at all, so don’t put that in there — but you don’t work with a quarterback to change how they throw at this level, in my opinion, but you can always improve their feet and their base and work on their release time.

“If you start changing how someone’s gripping the ball or someone’s throwing the ball, that’s just a great way as a coach to screw it up and think you’re a genius. So we’re going to focus a lot on the feet and the timing, and then you talk through just the offensive progressions.”

Jones is entering his second year and he’ll be without the proven offensive guru, Josh McDaniels. It will be a change of pace, but there doesn’t seem to be much that throws Jones off his mark.

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Patriots WR Nelson Agholor discusses Mac Jones’ ‘greatest strength’

Nelson Agholor had nothing but positive things to say about the Patriots’ second-year QB.

Mac Jones is entering his second NFL season with little continuity.

The New England Patriots lost Josh McDaniels, a few key offensive coaches and two of their best interior linemen. Typically, quarterbacks in the developmental stages of their career need that cohesion to grow and become the best version of themselves.

Many Patriots players believe Jones puts in the work and has the demeanor necessary to overcome these issues and still be great. Nelson Agholor spoke with the media on Tuesday and he explained why Jones has the work ethic to be great.

“He’s definitely trained his butt off, I can tell you that,” Agholor said, transcribed by NESN. “I see it every day when he comes in here. He works his butt off. He’s here every day putting the time in. And, obviously, when he throws the football, he throws the football well — really well. I’m impressed with what he does every day and how he works.”

Agholor then pointed to Jones’ greatest strength — his communication.

“I think Mac’s greatest strength is his ability to communicate,” Agholor said. “Obviously, he’s a great quarterback. I think he throws the ball amazing. But I love the way he communicates, and that’s something that allows you to grow together and work together, because communication is the key to every great relationship.

“He does a great job telling me what he sees. He does a great job of telling me what he likes about what I’m doing. He does a great job of (telling me about) some things that are hard for him to read when I move around and things like that. And once you know, there’s less gray area. … His communication is everything.”

The Patriots needed a great leader who can communicate and build relationships with the team. Tom Brady was an incredible leader and he left enormous shoes to fill. Jones understood the task while entering Gillette Stadium and he’s doing all the right things to be in the best position as possible.

Agholor continued to harp on the work ethic that makes Jones a great leader.

“He works hard, I can tell you that much,” Agholor said. “He leads by example with his effort each day. It’s consistent. He has consistent, hard-working effort, trains really hard, and he leads the bunch. So I think that is definitely something you must respect about him — how he trains.”

Jones has a receiver crew that includes Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton. He has plenty of talent around him and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones outdid his rookie year.

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Kyle Van Noy expresses his admiration, respect for Patriots QB Mac Jones

Former New England Patriots LB Kyle Van Noy believes Mac Jones is “going to be great.”

Mac Jones isn’t short of supporters around the NFL.

The New England Patriots quarterback is entering his second year in the league and he’s already considered a sure thing. Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record last year, while earning a playoff bid and a Pro Bowl selection. He was calm, cool and collected as he threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions — with a 68 completion percentage.

The 2022 season will present its own challenges for Jones due to the departure of Josh McDaniels and a few offensive coaches. He will have to navigate an offense that is ran by Joe Judge and Matt Patricia, which will be interesting.

Despite the challenges and obstacles ahead, Kyle Van Noy still fully believes in the potential Jones has. Van Noy joined the “The Pat McAfee Show” and expressed this admiration for Jones.

“I love Mac,” Van Noy said, transcribed by NESN. “I actually believe in Mac. … I really believe in him, and I think he’s going to be great. I hope he has the supporting cast to support him, that’s for sure, because he needs it.”

Van Noy had a second stint with the Patriots in 2021, but he was released this offseason and he’s now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. Both Van Noy and J.C. Jackson will have the experience of playing alongside another young and talented quarterback in Justin Herbert.

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Mac Jones makes $100,000 donation to Brockton Boys and Girls Club

Mac Jones presented a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Brockton on Tuesday.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones visited the Boys and Girls Club of Metro South in the Brockton, Mass. on Tuesday. While there, he presented the club with a $100,000 donation.

It was part of a visit that included Jones handing out Nerf footballs, playing basketball, and teaching kids the “Griddy.” The latter was the touchdown dance that Jones did after scoring a touchdown in the Pro Bowl in February.

The second-year quarterback also took a tour of the facility. In addition to the tours, he spoke to an older group of the kids at the club as well, and watched one of their highlight tapes.

One of his main goals is to help out the youth in the community, according to Patriots.com’s Alexandra Francesco.

“I’ve been super busy focused on football, but I want to be able to step out [in the community] like I did in college and high school,” Jones said. “Helping younger kids is kind of what my passion is, young people, whether they like sports or not, to help them reach their dreams.”

As Jones looks to make advancements on the field, he is aiming to make a big impact in the community as well.

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Josh McDaniels sheds light on Mac Jones’ offseason work ethic

Josh McDaniels is confident in the development of Mac Jones.

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As New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones enters his second year, coaching changes have been a major theme of this offseason.

Josh McDaniels was one of the more significant changes, as he took the head coaching position with the Las Vegas Raiders. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McDaniels touched on how he thinks Jones is handling changes in the coaching staff.

McDaniels departure was not the only big move. The Patriots hired Joe Judge as an offensive assistant. Matt Patricia will take on a role on offense as well.

Despite the movement, McDaniels remains confident in Jones’ ability to adjust, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran.

“With the rules such as they are now, we can’t work with them anyway until we get to late April and the end of May,” Josh McDaniels said during the AFC Coaches Breakfast at The Breakers. “Then you get a handful of weeks to work with them then they’re off on their own again. So I think the way the rules are, you’ve got to do a lot of work on your own anyway.

“And I think for a lot of young players, if you can digest that and understand, ‘I have a lot of responsibility to improve myself. I can’t just wait for somebody else to do it,’ I think that’s a big thing. And I’m sure Mac is doing that as we speak.”

Jones passed for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 2021. He will have his work cut out for him, as the AFC in particular has a plethora of talented quarterbacks. As he heads into his second year, development will be important, as the Patriots look for him to take another step in his development.

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Mac Jones welcomes former Alabama teammate Mack Wilson to Patriots

The Patriots’ roots with Alabama players continue to get stronger.

Bill Belichick continues to build the New England Patriots’ roster with former Alabama Crimson Tide players.

The Patriots drafted Mac Jones and Christian Barmore last year, while having Damien Harris, Dont’a Hightower and Anfernee Jennings on the roster. On Tuesday, the Patriots traded Chase Winovich to the Cleveland Browns for former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson.

Wilson, 24, is an off-the-ball linebacker that brings speed to a position that lacked it in 2021. The Patriots released Kyle Van Noy and could potentially lose Hightower, Ja’Whaun Bentley and/or Jamie Collins in free agency. Wilson adds much-needed depth and is a player that fits the mold of what the Patriots want at linebacker going forward.

He gained a warm welcome from his former teammate, Jones.

The Patriots are handicapped financially and haven’t made any big splashes in free agency yet.

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Patriots QB Mac Jones reveals who he learned his trash-talking skills from

Mac Jones got an early start when it came to trash-talking.

Mac Jones made headlines for many things during the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl.

Most importantly, he had the most reps for an AFC team that pulled away with the win. He hit the “Griddy” dance on a long touchdown run that ultimately didn’t count. On social media, there was mic’d up moments of him talking trash that really took over headlines.

The one moment that was widely discussed came against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, Darius Slay.

“What’s up, bro? Remember when I torched y’all in training camp?” Jones said after. “That was like training camp. When I torched y’all.”

Here’s a video of the trash-talking with Slay, along with other NFL defensive players.

Jones joined Phil Perry on NBC Sports Boston’s “Next Pats Podcast” and discussed the origin of his trash-talking — it was from his father.

“Maybe as I get older it’ll be better as I get more experience,” Jones said. “I joked yesterday, my dad is the best trash talker ever. So he taught me everything I know about trash talking. He knows a lot about everything so that’s just one of his many skills that he has.”

Jones does it in a light-hearted manner and the Pro Bowl was an event that showed his personality, while giving New England Patriots fans more of a reason to be excited for the future.

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Mac Jones happy for Josh McDaniels, confident in Patriots’ plan going forward

“And in terms of moving forward, I mean, it’s not my first rodeo with dealing with a new coordinator.”

There’s a ton of moving pieces on the offensive side of the ball when it comes to New England Patriots coaches.

Josh McDaniels took over as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach and he took a slew of assistants with him. Wide receivers coach Mick Lombardi, offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo and quality control/quarterback coach Bo Hardegree are all with the Raiders now.

These moving pieces aren’t ideal as Mac Jones enters his sophomore season with very little continuity. The Patriots brought Joe Judge in as the offensive assistant, but there isn’t many quarterback coaches currently who will be working directly with Jones.

He discussed McDaniels’ departure with Phil Perry on NBC Sports Boston’s “Next Pats Podcast” and doesn’t appear to be rattled by it.

“Yeah, I’m really happy for Josh and his family,” Jones said. “It’s a great family and he definitely deserves a shot at this thing, and I’m happy for him and he’s gonna do a great job.

“And in terms of moving forward, I mean, it’s not my first rodeo with dealing with a new coordinator. At Alabama. I think back to all the different guys I’ve worked with and I have a lot of experience with learning a new — we’re gonna keep the same system but, you know, new terminology here and there. I know coach (Bill) Belichick will have a plan, and I’m looking forward to working just getting better as a player regardless of who’s out there with us.”

As it currently stands, the Patriots reportedly will not get Bill O’Brien to take over as the offensive coordinator and they will coach the offense by committee. Losing that much institutional knowledge could really tank morale and confidence in the locker room — but, the Patriots do still have Belichick.

With the Belichick’s coaching and Jones’ mentality, the Patriots will have to this offseason to make plans accordingly and adjust.

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Ja’Marr Chase has hilarious grade for Mac Jones’ “Griddy” dance

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase gave a hilarious grade when Patriots QB Mac Jones hit the “Griddy” dance.

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It appeared as though several players enjoyed the Pro Bowl festivities this past weekend, included New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Jones ran for a touchdown in the Pro Bowl that didn’t end up counting, but he had fun doing so anyway.

Following his long run, he broke out the “Griddy” celebration dance in the end zone. Naturally, reporters wanted to get the opinions of those who have made the dance famous. During his Super Bowl LVI media availability, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was asked how he thought Jones did with the dance.

Recording 81 receptions for 1, 455 yards and 13 touchdowns, the rookie has had the opportunity to do the dance multiple times. Evidently, Chase thought Jones’ rendition of the dance was respectable.

“His Gritty wasn’t too bad,” Cincinnati’s star rookie said of the New England Patriots quarterback. “I’ll give him a 6, 6.5. Almost 7.”

Here’s a look at the dance.

The AFC ended up winning the Pro Bowl by a 41-35 score. In the process, Jones also won additional respect from peers as well.

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