During the New England Patriots’ Week 3 win over their AFC East rival New York Jets, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones allegedly hit Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner in the crotch. The Pro Bowl CB took to social media to share video evidence and plead his case to Roger Goodell in the NFL, and on Tuesday, the mysterious case of the Mac Jones nut-punch got a crucial update.
“#Patriots QB Mac Jones isn't expected to be suspended for allegedly cup-checking #Jets CB Sauce Gardner in Sunday's game,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero tweeted Tuesday. “Jones said Monday nothing was intentional. The NFL reviews all plays and it's possible, though not certain, that Jones could be fined.”
The video Sauce Gardner posted — and even subsequent videos from closer and other angles — weren’t conclusive as the groin shot was subtle at best, and even if a shot did clearly show the shot, it would be impossible to prove intent.
Suspending Jones would have been too much for Roger Goodell and the NFL. However, a fine should be in order, as this is far from the first time Jones has taken a dirty shot at a defender.
In the Patriots QB’s first two seasons, he’s thrown a brutal low block on a Cincinnati Bengals defender while the Bengals were returning an interception, and in a game against the Chicago Bears, he tried to spike a defender (in the groin!) while he was sliding. Jones also infamously grabbed and twisted the ankle of Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns while the DE was chasing a fumble.
Jones is obviously a dirty player, and as such, the league should do something about this latest transgression before he truly hurts someone with one of his cheap shots. That said, he’s an Alabama blueblood quarterback of the New England Patriots, so don’t hold your breath for any discipline to come down.