Charlie Weis says Mac Jones has Tom Brady’s ‘it’ factor
"He’s it. He’s the guy.”
Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones has been compared to legendary former Patriots QB Tom Brady yet again, this time by former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Weis spoke on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show Thursday morning about the “unbelievable” similarities between the two.
“The two most important things are, do you have the ‘it’ factor and are you accurate? And [Jones] has the ‘it’ factor and he’s accurate,” Weis said on the show. “Now, just like Tommy [Brady], Tommy as we know was not the most athletic person in the world, but what did he have? He had that feel in the pocket. He knew how to move in the pocket. He knew how to step up. He knew how to shuffle. He knew when to go down — there are times you’re just going to get hit and you have to go down. That’s what this kid is. That’s who this kid is.”
Although Weis was surprised about Bill Belichick’s decision to go with Jones over Cam Newton this season, he praised the decision, calling it “a gutsy call.”
This is not the first time Jones and Brady have been compared. The comps go back even before Jones was drafted by the Patriots. Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison also saw the similarities, which he spoke about after reacting to news of Newton’s release.
Jones has certainly got the eyes of many on him as he gets ready to make his first NFL start Sept. 12. However, Weis is certain Jones will handle the moment well.
“He’s not feeling the pressure,” Weis said. “You guys talk about pressure, he’s just trying to fit in right now doing everything he can to help the team win. That’s all he’s worried about. The only pressure he had, he just eliminated. He’s it. He’s the guy.”
The decision by Belichick to release Newton came as a surprise to many as he was complimented by Belichick on his improvements during Patriots training camp. However, questions did emerge when Belichick declined to name a starting quarterback for the 2021-2022 season as Week 1 approached.
Belichick spoke about his reason for picking Jones over Newton.
“First of all, he’s had a high level of production,” Belichick said in a press conference. “I feel like he’s been able to show an ability to do things the way we want them done at a productive level. He’s young, I’m sure he’ll continue to learn and grow. We’ll see where that goes. That’s why we drafted him and I think he’s come in and performed at a level that supports that.”
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