New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has enjoyed working with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. In a recent interview, he revealed one of the best parts about working with him, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Jones struggled last year, as the offense was never able to get on the same page. That looks to change with O’Brien, who has garnered high praise from other Patriots players as well.
There are positive signs that things already may be better, as Jones played well in Saturday’s preseason game. He went 6-of-9 on the evening, throwing for 52 yards and averaging just over five yards per pass.
Aside from just the early returns on the field to this point, Jones appreciates the way O’Brien coaches. The Alabama product likes O’Brien’s authenticity, as noted by Breer.
“He’s super real,” Jones said, via Breer. “He’s a straight-up guy, not only as a coach but as a person. He’s going to let you know, Hey, you’re not doing this right. Hey, you’re doing this really well. Some coaches will tell you, but then they don’t give you a plan to fix it.
“I think the coolest part is he gives you the plan, and then from there, you got to go out and execute it. Something might pop up in OTAs where I did something wrong. He’s like, Well, do this throw instead of that throw. Next thing you know, it comes up today at practice.”
Jones and New England will be looking for a bounce-back season after missing the playoffs in 2022. They have a difficult schedule ahead with new pieces on offense, which was a trouble spot for the team last season. There is plenty of talent, especially at the tight end position with Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry.
It’s not as if the cupboard is bare offensively.
Still, it’s important that Jones and his offensive coordinator are on the same page. That wasn’t necessarily the case at times last year, when Matt Patricia was overseeing things. So far, however, things seem different with O’Brien in charge.
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