Was Mac Jones so bad as a starting quarterback that it contributed to Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s decision to dismiss Bill Belichick as his head coach? One insider seems to believe so.
In a piece for NBC Sports Boston, writer Tom Curran asserted that Jones’ decline from a “promising Tom Brady replacement” to being “literally unusable” was something that Kraft laid directly at the feet of Belichick and his staffing decisions following the departure of Josh McDaniels after the 2021 season.
“Belichick’s draft record has been spotty since 2013,” Curran wrote. “His return on a record-setting free agent splurge in ’21 was meager. Jones’ decline from promising (Tom) Brady replacement to literally unusable is, in the eyes of ownership, tied directly to Belichick’s coaching staff decisions after Josh McDaniels left.”
Jones had his worst year as a pro by far in 2023. He completed 64.9-percent of his passes for 2,120 yards and 10 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in just 11 games while going 2-9 as a starter. All of those marks were among the worst of his career.
COLUMN from @tomecurran 🏈
Inside Bill Belichick’s unprecedented Patriots tenure, a 24-year marriage like no other, and how it eventually came undone. READ 🔽https://t.co/nJQHf5ilo9 pic.twitter.com/bCJAsB4lvf
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 11, 2024
If the Patriots believe that Mac Jones is part of the problem then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he winds up being traded or released in the upcoming offseason.
Maybe Belichick will sign him to whichever team he agrees to coach next year…