What did Belichick say about Mac Jones ahead of 2022 NFL season?
As the New England Patriots prepare for the 2022 NFL season, head coach Bill Belichick had words of praise for second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
It’s no secret that Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, is not given to talking expansively in press conferences, often limiting himself to predictable soundbites. However, there are days when the 70-year-old breaks the monotony by offering up a response that is talked about for days or even weeks. That happened when Belichick faced the media on Tuesday.
Jones has “made tremendous strides”
Asked about the influence Mac Jones has had as the Patriots build their offence for the 2022 season, Belichick took the opportunity to heap praise on the quarterback as he heads into his second year in the NFL.
“I think Mac’s done a great job, he’s worked extremely hard and has got a tremendous work ethic,” Belichick said. “In all areas, I think there’s a dramatic improvement: his physical work and conditioning, working on his mechanics, working on his footwork, working on his understanding of our offence, of opponent defences, of situations… we’ve talked about all those things in varying degrees, some with more emphasis than others. The emphasis on some other things will come later on - you can’t do this all at once.
“He’s worked hard, he’s made tremendous strides. He did a great job last year, but he’s starting from a much, much higher point this year than where he started last year. So his off-season work has been significant and I think everyone recognises how well he prepares and how much further along he was than a year ago.”
No. 15 Draft pick led way among rookie QBs in 2021
The Patriots picked Jones at No. 15 in the 2021 NFL Draft. While his numbers were not spectacular in his debut season in the league (he threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions), he made few mistakes and helped New England to return to the Playoffs.
Among the first-year quarterbacks, Jones registered the most touchdown passes and passing yards, and had the best pass-completion rate (67.6%) and quarterback rating (92.5).
“We’re just a lot further ahead in the conversation [offensively],” Belichick added. “The plays that we talk about, or concepts we talk about, Mac has already done it before. It’s easy for him to say, ‘Are we going to do this on that? Are we going to do this on something else? What do you think about splitting them a little bit wider? Splitting them a little bit tighter.’ Suggestions like that.
“And we have a much better feel for what he can do, what his strengths are, and how to try to play into those. He’s self-aware, too. He knows what he does well.”
Related news:
Jones’ physical evolution
A recent viral photo of Jones showed the 23-year-old seemingly in impressive physical shape. The QB’s veteran team-mates at the Patriots have also said positive things about him.
See also | Top 10 must-watch NFL games in 2022:
