Saban calls out Patriots for stalling Mac Jones’ improvement
New England Patriots
“I believe Mac was a kind of guys who was in dangerous conditions relative to teaching and all that kind of stuff.”
Nick Saban has been associates with Invoice Belichick for many years as the 2 cast their respective paths as among the biggest 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 dearth of assist he obtained throughout his tenure with the New England Patriots.
Talking on “The Pat McAfee Present” final week, Saban stated that Jones wasn’t afforded a chance to develop correctly throughout his three seasons in New England — particularly with Belichick giving him three totally different offensive coordinators over that stretch.
“I’m so pleased for Mac,” Saban instructed McAfee, as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I believe Mac was a kind of guys who was in dangerous conditions relative to teaching and all that kind of stuff, and who was the offensive coordinator and the way did he get developed.
“Proper now, I believe he’s in a very 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 unsure he at all times received instructed precisely what was anticipated of him earlier than going to the 49ers.”
Jones impressed as a rookie in 2021 — incomes Professional Bowl honors below OC Josh McDaniels after throwing for 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions whereas main New England to a 10-7 document.
However, issues derailed in 2022 after Belichick opted to interchange McDaniels (who left to develop into head coach of the Raiders) with Matt Patricia and Joe Decide because the workforce’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 associate with 11 interceptions.
The 2023 season noticed Jones backside out below 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 really perfect spot in San Francisco — with the previous first-round decide now 3-0 this season when beginning instead of Brock Purdy.
Over these three appearances, Jones has accomplished 66.7 % of his throws for 905 yards, six touchdowns, and only one interception.
With Purdy nonetheless sidelined because of harm, Jones could possibly be due for much more reps because the 2025 season carries on.
“Yeah, very doable we see one other begin for Mac Jones, or much more than that,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport famous this weekend. “My understanding of Brock Purdy’s setback, and keep 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, received tackled in principally form of the identical method, re-aggravated the harm. Then received put again the place he was.”
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