Mac Jones reportedly asked for outside help and an angry Bill Belichick addressed him
"And I think that’s where it did get personal."
The Patriots’ offense was so miserable this year that Mac Jones began calling around outside of the Patriots’ organization for help, according to former NFL quarterback and current football analyst Chris Simms.
The situation made Jones unhappy, and Jones was openly talking about it during the season, Simms said during an appearance on “NBC’s Pro Football Talk Live.”
“He was telling people he wasn’t happy,” Simms said. “He was calling people about, ‘Hey, can you help us with ideas and do stuff like that?'”
Patriots coach Bill Belichick was not happy with Jones when he caught wind of the situation, Simms said.
“From my understanding, Belichick found out all these things,” Simms said. “He found out that Mac was talking to people, and all this, and there was some back-channel conversations going on behind Belichick’s back. And I think that’s where it did get personal.”
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said that Belichick addressed the second-year quarterback about the calls.
“And Belichick made Mac Jones aware of it, too, as you might imagine — which is why it stopped,” said Florio.
Reporters asked Belichick on Monday if he plans to have Jones remain as New England’s starting quarterback in 2023. His response was less than enthusiastic.
“Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league,” Belichick said. “We all have to work together to find the best way as a football team, obviously quarterback is a big position, to be more productive.”
After being sacked a career-high 34 times this season, Jones’s stats took a big hit in 2022. Out of the 31 quarterbacks listed by ESPN, the only QBs with a worse QBR than Jones this season were Baker Mayfield, Carson Wentz, and Davis Mills.
Help is reportedly on the way, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, who reported that Belichick has already met with team owner Robert Kraft to discuss an overhaul of the offensive coaching staff.
“My understanding is reassignments are going to happen, and several offensive coaches are under consideration for the Patriots’ 2023 staff,” Curran said.
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