Mac Jones enjoyed a successful rookie season in New England. But that means the Patriots quarterback will enter Year 2 with high expectations.
So, Jones is trying to do everything he can to maximize his first NFL offseason after leading all rookie quarterbacks in passing yards (3,801), completion percentage (67.6) and touchdown passes (22) in 2021.
That includes staying near the team's facility in Foxboro instead of returning to his original home in Jacksonville, Fla.
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"I want to be back close to home in New England in the offseason because we obviously have our place there," Jones said in an interview with Patriots.com. "Just figuring out ways to be a better quarterback and then do whatever we can to put more points up on the board so we can win more games."
Jones has plenty of room for improvement: While he's one of a handful of quarterbacks to lead their team to the playoffs in his first season, the 23-year-old appeared to hit a "rookie wall" late in 2021 as New England lost four of its last five games.
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Jones admitted the 17-game schedule (plus a postseason game) wore on him, and that he'll use this offseason to be better prepared for the grind of an NFL season.
"I think back to my freshman year at Alabama, you’re kind of figuring everything out. And then you get older and you’re just more experienced," Jones said. "Everything: the media, the games, everything.
"I think that’s the fun part of about everything in the offseason. You get a second to just catch your breath and figure everything out. This has definitely been the longest year. It’s been like almost two years of football. I love football. I love to keep going as best I can but it’s always good to step away and evaluate what you can get better at too."Don't expect Jones to take too much time off, though. The Patriots QB recently told our Phil Perry that even as he takes a mini-break from football, he's been focused on improving his diet.
"I'm always trying to work no matter what," Jones told Perry. "Take a little time off and I'm ready to roll. I'm excited to get to work and (my diet is) one of the things I want to improve on. I've been working on it."
Jones is far from the NFL's most physically gifted quarterback, but he boasts a strong work ethic and a level of maturity that should help him take a step forward in 2022.