Mack Jones and Bill Belichick will have an irreparably damaged relationship by the end of the Patriots’ 2023 season, according to a new report from MassLive’s Mark Daniels. That’s not surprising, as Jones and Belichick are underdogs in 2023, and New England’s last campaign was a total disaster. But according to Daniels, the cracks in the Jones-Belichick dynamic began to show long ago.
Jones’ decline began in his second season as he struggled under the tutelage of Matt Patricia and Joe George. The 2021 first-round pick was coming off a rookie Pro Bowl season and didn’t react well to the offense’s change in direction. “Team sources say Jones’ resentment of using Patricia and switching to a Shanahan-based offense was immediate,” Daniels wrote.
“Before training camp, he was resistant to changing the offensive system. Especially after the success we had with (Josh) McDaniels. This infuriates Belichick.“As the Patriots’ offensive scheme changed, the lack of continuity led to more mistakes on offense around the quarterback position. Jones is frustrated with the poor results, and Belichick is frustrated with his quarterback.
Jones struggled mentally because the players weren’t on the same page, which affected his game.”Jones’ game is expected to improve under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, but the Alabama product played even worse as an NFL junior. Belichick and O’Brien are now gone from New England, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones is listed elsewhere in 2024.But new coach Jerrod Mayo is keeping an open mind about Jones, who could have a solid future in Foxboro, Mass., even if the Patriots aren’t expected to pick up his fifth-year option.
