What Jerod Mayo learned from the Patriots’ handling of Mac Jones
"It's not only the players you put around him but also the coaches you put around this guy."
With Mac Jones suiting up for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars instead of the Patriots, it’s safe to say that his time in New England did not go the way the organization had hoped.
Jones, who was taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, was supposed to be the quarterback of the future. He didn’t even make it through the end of his rookie contract. After a promising rookie season, his play regressed and New England eventually traded him to the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick.
So, what are the lessons from the way things went down between Jones and the Patriots? Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo addressed the topic Monday during an interview at the AFC coaches’ breakfast.
“Mac Jones came in and had a lot of success early on,” Mayo said. “We always talk about that jump from year one to year two and and how significant that year is or that bridge is from year one to year two. I would say it was a combination of things that really hindered that growth in the second year.
“One thing I did learn about that process was as you continue to develop a quarterback, it’s not only the players you put around him but also the coaches you put around this guy,” Mayo added. “Not only the coaches, but it can go all the way to the ops teams and things like that to support a guy who plays the most important position in sports.”
The Patriots signed veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, whom they envision as a potential mentor for a young quarterback. Even if the Patriots take a quarterback at No. 3, there’s no guarantee that he’ll play right away.
“You would want to see success like this as a straight line, but realistically that’s not what it is,” Mayo said. “It’s like a bunch of ups and downs, and I think just supporting a quarterback is one of the biggest things. And I’ll also say this, you bring a guy like Jacoby in, he’s definitely a starter in this league and a good mentor to quarterback’s across it.”
Mayo was asked if he felt the roster and his staff are capable of supporting a young quarterback after a 4-13 season caused in part by a dysfunctional offense that tied for last in the league in points scored.
“One hundred percent. I feel very good about the staff that we have,” Mayo said. “We have guys, (quarterbacks coach) T.C. [McCartney] and AVP (offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt) and even (offensive assistant) [Ben] McAdoo are all guys that bring a certain skill set to the quarterback position.”
“Now, the balance is that he needs to hear that one voice,” Mayo said. “And what happens sometimes with younger quarterbacks is that they have their quarterback guru, their quarterback coach, most offensive coordinators are quarterback coaches. So look, those guys have worked together in the past and they’re on the same page to support any quarterback that we bring in.”
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