Mac Jones completed his first touchdown drive as an NFL player, yet he looked as discontent as Bill Belichick after the New England Patriots’ loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1.
Even though Jones had accomplished a personal milestone and even though the Patriots had taken the lead, the quarterback wasn’t going to waste time celebrating, apparently. He wasn’t even going to keep the football as a keepsake, which is common for rookies after their first score. His teammates tried to give him the ball to keep. He wouldn’t accept it.
Why?
“Because it doesn’t really matter. It was one touchdown, We’ve got to score more,” Jones said after the game. “It’s not like the game was over right there. We’ve got to do better in the red zone and get more touchdowns, and we will.”
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 12, 2021
New England lost, 17-16, in their season-opener, but Jones’ maturity on and off the field showed he’s poised to continue on an upward trajectory. That moment after the touchdown was one of so many reasons why the young quarterback seems to fit in New England.