Following a trying 2022 season, Mac Jones has the support of the New England Patriots ownership.
Robert Kraft gave a ringing endorsement of the young quarterback when he was asked if he would pursue Tom Brady as a free agent in an interview with Fox Business' Neil Cavuto on Friday.
“We are blessed to have a great young quarterback in Mac Jones as our quarterback. I'm a strong believer in him and his development,” Kraft said after expressing a belief that Brady could still play at a high level.
Robert Kraft on whether he tried to get Tom Brady to return to the Patriots. He tells Neil on @FoxBusiness: “We’re blessed to have a great young quarterback in Mac Jones. I’m a strong believer in him and his development.” pic.twitter.com/8eOr7FqLhj
— Neil Cavuto (@TeamCavuto) February 10, 2023
Jones had a down second year after a solid rookie season in 2021, in which he helped lead the Patriots to the playoffs.
Jones threw for 2,997 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go along with an 84.8 passer rating over 14 games in 2022. He missed three games due to an ankle injury and when he came back, Jones was met with some boos and cheers for his backup, Bailey Zappe, to replace him.
Jones was benched in his return from the ankle injury but regained the starting role a week later and never relinquished it. However, the Patriots still struggled as they went 8-9 to miss the playoffs.
Much of Jones' and the rest of the Patriots' struggles in 2022 have been placed on the fact that Matt Patricia, a longtime defensive coach, called the offensive plays following the departure of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Bill Belichick's unconventional decision to make Patricia the head of the offense was met with much scrutiny throughout the season.
Kraft shared with Cavuto that he and Belichick had a meeting following the 2022 season to discuss the future of the team.
“If things aren't going the way I'd like, we meet in private, have our discussions, and make changes,” Kraft said. “It's something we've done this year. I'm very happy that we were able to bring in a new offensive coordinator to help develop our young quarterback. I think bringing in Bill O'Brien has been a big plus for our franchise. That was done with full cooperation with coach Belichick, and I'm very excited for our team for next year.”
“I think he was an excellent choice,” Kraft told a group of local reporters in Arizona covering the Super Bowl. “And he has a learning-curve experience of our system. He knows how to build a great offense. And I’m excited to see what happens next year.”
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