Mac Jones Cracks Playful Joke About His Patriots Downfall
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are preparing for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 5. In the meantime, another former New England quarterback who played under McDaniels is making the rounds on Super Bowl radio row.
Former Patriots quarterback Mac Jones appeared on NFL Network’s “The Insiders” on Wednesday, where hosts Judy Battista, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport had a discussion with him about his time in New England.
Pelissero noted that Jones enjoyed a solid rookie season under McDaniels in 2021, before McDaniels left to become the Raiders’ head coach. In light of this change, Jones made a lighthearted remark, jokingly saying, “Thanks, Josh,” as McDaniels’ exit marked the beginning of a downturn for Jones with the Patriots.
Jones had a solid season under McDaniels, amassing 3,801 passing yards and throwing 22 touchdowns, although he recorded 13 interceptions. Most importantly, the Patriots finished 10-7, securing a playoff spot.
However, when McDaniels left for Las Vegas in 2022, Jones never seemed the same. The Patriots never finished above .500 again during his final two seasons in New England.
In March 2024, the Patriots traded Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round draft pick. Jones signed a two-year, $8.41 million contract with the 49ers last offseason, and he performed admirably when starting quarterback Brock Purdy was injured.
Jones took the field in 11 games, starting in eight of them. He passed for 2,151 yards and recorded 13 touchdowns. Now, he is likely to become one of the most sought-after trade targets for teams this offseason.
Perhaps Jones can experience a career revival similar to that of Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. After playing for four different teams, he found his stride in Seattle, where he has become one of the best quarterbacks in the league.