Patriots quarterback Mac Jones reportedly envied Jets signal-caller Zach Wilson when Gang Inexperienced received their season finale, 17-3, on Jan. 7.
Jones, whose future with the Patriots is unsure after a disastrous shedding season, discovered himself so annoyed with the Patriots’ lack of communication that he informed a Jets staffer he appreciated how they dealt with Wilson’s scenario, based on MassLive’s Mark Daniels, who cited a supply on the sphere throughout pregame in Foxborough.
Jones was benched for backup Bailey Zappe on the time, and Wilson additionally misplaced his beginning job to Trevor Siemian — however Jones reportedly hit a breaking level when he discovered he was demoted to third-string quarterback behind Nathan Rourke simply 90 minutes earlier than kickoff.
“Jones privately lamented to locker room confidants that nobody talks to him,” Daniels wrote.
Though Wilson had his personal struggles, the Jets had been sincere with the second-overall choose within the 2021 NFL draft — the identical class through which New England picked Jones at No. 15.
After the Patriots-Jets season finale, The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported that the group knowledgeable Wilson they’d plans to commerce him this offseason when he was benched.
Jones reportedly discovered he was a wholesome scratch for Week 18 when the group launched the inactive record — and his communication with former New England head coach Invoice Belichick was non-existent by that time.
The 25-year-old initially misplaced his beginning job to Zappe in Week 13 following a shutout loss to the Chargers 6-0 at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 3.
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After that, Jones labored laborious inside Gillette Stadium — spending extra time within the weight room, arriving early and leaving late — based on his teammates, who spoke with MassLive anonymously.
The Alabama product continued to regress in his third yr with the Patriots, and had his justifiable share of turnovers and outbursts on the sphere.
Jones additionally confronted allegations of being a “soiled participant” for the second straight yr when Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner accused him of hitting him within the groin in a loss to the Patriots in Week 3.
Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple additionally known as out Jones for a controversial hit when his Bengals performed the Patriots in December 2022.
Jones’ relationship with Belichick was “damaged” by the top of the 2023 season — and it began to bitter the season prior when Josh McDaniels was changed at offensive coordinator by Matt Patricia, based on MassLive.
Belichick and the Patriots mutually parted methods 4 days after New England’s season-finale loss to the Jets — ending a historic 24-year run.
The Patriots completed this season on the backside of the AFC East with a 4-13 file, the franchise’s worst since 1992.
Now, Jones’ future with the Patriots is unsure underneath newly employed head coach Jerod Mayo.
Mayo was a Tremendous Bowl champion linebacker throughout eight season with the Patriots, and rejoined the group because the group’s linebackers coach underneath Belichick for the previous 5 seasons.
Belichick’s providers can be found following two rounds of interviews with the Falcons — who introduced Raheem Morris as their head coach on Thursday evening.
Wilson’s future with the Jets can be up within the air after he didn’t show he could possibly be a strong backup this season for Aaron Rodgers, who’s anticipated to be wholesome for Week 1 after tearing his Achilles 4 performs into the season.
