Mac Jones waited almost four years to have his shot at becoming the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide. When he finally gained the opportunity, he made the most of it: a national championship, Heisman finalist list and a first-round draft spot. Now, at the professional level, Jones might not even have to wait a game.
The New England Patriots lost Tom Brady in the 2020 offseason to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rather than scrambling for a long-term replacement, the Patriots signed former NFL MVP Cam Newton to a one-year deal. Heading into the 2021 season, before the NFL draft, the front office and Newton agreed to a second one-year contract.
In that draft, New England selected Jones with the No. 15 pick.
It was generally expected Jones would sit behind Newton on the depth chart as a rookie and wait until the 2022 season to get his chance.
After weeks of consistently impressive play at training camp, the narrative began to shift: Maybe Jones could take over the starting job at some point during his rookie season.
Then, Friday night, the Patriots took on the Washington Football Team in their first NFL preseason game of the year. Jones played five drives; he completed 13 of his 19 passing attempts for 87 yards. The fans fell in love with the former Alabama star.
Now, the narrative continues to change and the needle trends in the direction of Jones earning the starting job sooner rather than later.
NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano said it best, “Week 1 (. . .)] Tua vs Mac Jones.”
I’ll say it.
Week 1
Tua vs Mac Jones— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) August 13, 2021
Siciliano is alluding to Jones being named the Week 1 starter for the Patriots against the Miami Dolphins, which would lead to an Alabama vs. Alabama quarterback matchup.
All signs from inside Patriots camp point to Newton being the opening game starting quarterback, but there are still a few weeks left for things to change.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover Mac Jones as he gears up for his rookie season in the NFL with the New England Patriots.