New England Patriots
“I believe Mac was a kind of guys who was in unhealthy conditions relative to teaching and all that sort of stuff.”
Nick Saban has been friends with Bill Belichick for decades as the 2 solid their respective paths as a few of the best coaches in soccer historical past.
However, the previous College of Alabama head coach and seven-time NCAA champion was candid final week when discussing his former Crimson Tide QB, Mac Jones, and the shortage of assist he acquired throughout his tenure with the New England Patriots.
Talking on “The Pat McAfee Present” final week, Saban mentioned that Jones wasn’t afforded a chance to develop correctly throughout his three seasons in New England — particularly with Belichick giving him three completely different offensive coordinators over that stretch.
“I’m so completely satisfied for Mac,” Saban instructed McAfee, as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I believe Mac was a kind of guys who was in unhealthy conditions relative to teaching and all that sort of stuff, and who was the offensive coordinator and the way did he get developed.
“Proper now, I believe he’s in a extremely good circumstance with (Kyle) Shanahan, their offense, the gamers he has round him. He’s a man who will execute. He’s actually, actually sensible, so he’s going to do precisely what you inform him to do. And he needs to know precisely what you need him to do. I’m undecided he all the time acquired instructed precisely what was anticipated of him earlier than going to the 49ers.”
Jones impressed as a rookie in 2021 — incomes Professional Bowl honors underneath OC Josh McDaniels after throwing for 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions whereas main New England to a 10-7 report.
However, issues derailed in 2022 after Belichick opted to switch McDaniels (who left to grow to be head coach of the Raiders) with Matt Patricia and Joe Decide because the staff’s high offensive coaches.
Patricia — a longtime defensive coach — and a former special-teams coordinator in Decide struggled to assist Jones, who closed out the 2022 season with 14 touchdowns over 14 video games to go together with 11 interceptions.
The 2023 season noticed Jones backside out underneath the tutelage of one other OC in Invoice O’Brien, with Jones throwing for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions earlier than getting benched — and later traded to the Jaguars that offseason.
Regardless of his evident struggles in New England, Jones seems to have discovered a great spot in San Francisco — with the previous first-round choose now 3-0 this season when beginning rather than Brock Purdy.
Over these three appearances, Jones has accomplished 66.7 p.c of his throws for 905 yards, six touchdowns, and only one interception.
With Purdy nonetheless sidelined as a consequence of harm, Jones might be due for much more reps because the 2025 season carries on.
“Yeah, very attainable we see one other begin for Mac Jones, or much more than that,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted this weekend. “My understanding of Brock Purdy’s setback, and bear in mind, he was coping with turf toe — it was two to about 5 weeks restoration time — he performed in that third week, so fairly early on in his restoration, early on in his rehab, after which went out, acquired tackled in mainly form of the identical manner, re-aggravated the harm. Then acquired put again the place he was.”
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