There's reporting to suggest that Mac Jones and Bill Belichick haven't been on the best terms of late. But it sounds like the New England Patriots quarterback has at least one supporter on the coaching staff.
Jones has familiarity with new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who spent the previous two seasons as the OC at Jones' alma mater, Alabama. In fact, after O'Brien took the Alabama job in January 2021, Jones actually helped O'Brien learn the Crimson Tide offense before joining the Patriots as the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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So, it may not surprise you that Jones played a role in convincing O'Brien to seek the New England offensive coordinator job this offseason. From ESPN's Mike Reiss on Sunday:
"Some close to the Alabama program, where O’Brien served as OC the past two seasons, believe Jones' presence is one of the top reasons the job appealed to O’Brien."
Jones and O'Brien both have been complimentary of each other this offseason, as Jones seems eager to work with a veteran OC after a disastrous 2022 campaign under first-year offensive play-caller Matt Patricia.
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"I’m excited to work with [O’Brien], and I know we all are, and it’s gonna be a great year. We’ve just gotta put the work in," Jones told WBZ-TV's Steve Burton last week.
The Jones-O'Brien connection stands in stark contrast to a recent report from ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio that Belichick "shopped" Jones on the trade market this offseason. Jones reportedly irked Belichick last season by seeking offensive help outside the organization, and tensions between the two have lingered, per our Tom E. Curran.
If Jones was a major reason why O'Brien took the New England OC job, however, we'd imagine O'Brien wouldn't be thrilled about the idea of the Patriots trading Jones. It's still unclear how serious Belichick was (or still is) about trading Jones, but it's worth wondering whether Belichick spoke to O'Brien about the possibility of a Jones trade, and if so, how the new OC felt about it.
New England begins its offseason workout program Tuesday, so if Jones stays put, the Patriots can put all of this drama behind them while Jones gets to work with O'Brien. But unless we get complete reassurance that Jones won't be traded, don't be surprised if this storyline lingers at Gillette Stadium.