Mac Jones, the New England Patriots rookie quarterback, has been in the spotlight recently amidst rumors of being “short leash” suggesting that the Patriots were ready to replace him if he didn’t perform well.
However, Jones remains unbothered by such talk and continues to focus on improving his game and helping his team succeed.
Mac Jones unconcerned with talk of the Patriots having him on a “short leash." https://t.co/GAJgSegB65
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 17, 2023
During the first half, the Patriots struggled offensively managing only 107 yards and four first downs.
Jones himself had a disappointing start, going 8-of-14 for 97 yards and throwing a costly interception.
But despite these less-than-ideal numbers, Jones was not benched. He played all but three snaps of the game and threw for 200 yards.
When asked about the “short leash” rumors, Jones expressed his indifference towards outside noise.
He admitted that he doesn’t pay much attention to media coverage or social media chatter.
His focus is solely on improving his performance and helping his team succeed.
“No, just because I don’t really pay attention to that stuff,” Jones said on WEEI on Monday, via Lauren Campbell of masslive.com. “Obviously, we talk about it on the interviews and shows. For me, I just want to go out there and try and execute a little bit better each week and get better. Every week’s different. Some weeks you’re going to run the ball a lot or play action a lot, and some week’s you’re going to throw and do all those things.
“It just depends on the week. And I try not to focus on all of the emotions from the outside and really just focus on the team, because I really care about the team, and I really do have a really good relationship with a lot of the guys. We want to do better. We’re trying. We’re working, and we’ve just got to continue to do that.”
The Patriots’ decision to stick with Jones may have been influenced by the limited options they had at quarterback.
With their backup quarterback, Malik Cunningham, not considered a better alternative, the team’s decision to rely on Jones was a logical one.
Additionally, the Patriots have Bailey Zappe and Will Grier as further backup options.
