Bill Belichick Praises His New Quarterback

For Mac Jones, being a backup is nothing new. In the first three years of his college career Jones was a mere afterthought behind two five-star quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, waiting patiently for his chance to take the field as the Crimson Tide starter in his senior season.

In his first year in the NFL, some things seem to be staying the same for Jones. New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick said in April that "Cam's (Newton) our quarterback.", leaving fans curious to how the rookie quarterback was developing in OTAs and whether or not he would push for a starting job.

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In a recent press conference, Belichick updated fans on the new quarterback, praising his work ethic, saying, "He's working hard, he puts in a lot of time," Belichick said, "Certainly giving his best effort to do everything we've asked him to do and do it the way we've asked him to do it, which is a great place to start. He's earned a lot of respect for that, but he has a long way to go. We'll see how it goes."

The Patriots selected Jones with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, bringing in what appears to be the franchise's quarterback of the future. While early reports from OTAs continue to discuss Jones' high motor and quick grasp of the offense, when asked about his new quarterback's understanding of a new system, Belichick, in typical fashion, responded with a vague answer, leaving the response rather open ended.

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"He has a pretty good understanding of the things we do," Belichick said, "He has to go out there and do them get comfortable with them. It's a process. We've had a number of other players at that quarterback position come in and go through that. Sometimes, it starts a little slower and then picks up. Sometimes, it starts a little higher and slows down. We'll just have to see how it goes."

Of all the Crimson Tide players drafted, Jones enters one of the best situations possible, joining a Belichick led New England team. Although the Patriots struggled in 2020, the return of several opt-outs and a solid draft class mean the future is bright for a team who will be looking for a bounce back season.