Mac Jones found himself at the center of some controversy during his rookie NFL season.
Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns strip-sacked the New England Patriots quarterback in their Week 9 showdown. Jones grabbed Burns' ankleĀ to prevent him from pursuing the loose ball, injuring him in the process.
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Jones claimed he was simply trying to tackle Burns as he thought the Panthers defender recovered the football after the strip-sack. Burns,Ā his Carolina Panthers teammates, and other players across the league didn't buy Jones' explanation. A few days after the incident, Burns said Jones still hadn't reached out to him and he wished other defensive ends "happy hunting."
Cooler heads have since prevailed. With the two players now facing off at joint practices, Jones told reporters he and Burns have made amends.
āYeah, I talked with Brian,ā Jones said on Wednesday. āWe already made up at the Pro Bowl and everythingās good. Heās a great player. I just love watching him on film, how he can speed rush; heās got good power. Heās just a great football player.
āAnd, really, he really doesnāt like to talk. He just kind of keeps getting after it, keeps getting after it. So, Iām kind of the same way. Yeah, weāre definitely friends now. So, itās all good.ā
New England Patriots
While Jones and Burns have squashed their beef, the same can't be said for their respective teams. The Patriots and Panthers brawled Wednesday for the second straight practice.
We can expect tensions to be high when the two teams face off in Friday's preseason game. Kickoff for New England vs. Carolina is set for 7 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.