On Thursday, the New England Patriots officially traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick. It didn’t take long for him to thank the organization that drafted him back in 2021.
Jones released a heartfelt letter on social media Thursday night. Not only did he thank the Patriots for drafting him out of Alabama, he thanked Bill Belichick for coaching him the past three seasons.
“The last three seasons with the New England Patriots are years I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Jones wrote. “I will always be grateful for my time in New England and for the opportunity to start my career in the NFL.
“To Mr. Kraft and the Kraft family, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to make my dream of playing in the NFL come true. To Coach Belichick and all the coaches and support staff who helped me each and every day, including training, equipment, strength, video staff, and everyone in between, thank you for all that you did to help prepare me over the years. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.”
Jones looked so promising as a rookie, completing 67.6 percent of his pass attempts for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Patriots made the playoffs that season.
Over the past two seasons, however, Jones has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions. That’s obviously not going to cut it.
Maybe, just maybe, a change of scenery will allow Jones to return to his 2021 form. But it’ll be tough for him to showcase his skills since he’s the primary backup to Trevor Lawrence.