Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Mac Jones unconcerned with talk of the Patriots having him on a “short leash”

If Mac Jones truly was on a “short leash” as was reported last week, the Patriots would have replaced their quarterback at halftime Sunday.

The Patriots had only 107 yards and four first downs and trailed 13-3 as Jones was 8-of-14 for 97 yards and a terrible interception in the first half.

Jones, though, played all but three snaps and threw for 200 yards.

He doesn’t pay attention to outside noise and has no presence on social media, so Jones didn’t know he supposedly was on a “short leash.” Jones also didn’t care.

“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.”

Maybe if the Patriots had a better option behind Jones, changing quarterbacks might be more realistic. But Malik Cunningham was the backup Sunday, and the Patriots also have Bailey Zappe and Will Grier. So, when the Patriots say Jones gives them their best chance of winning, they aren’t wrong.