It's not often that New England Patriots players publicly question Bill Belichick's mode of operations. But Monday night was a unique circumstance, to say the least.
The Patriots gave Mac Jones the start at quarterback against the Chicago Bears, but after Jones threw an interception to end the team's third drive, Belichick replaced him with rookie Bailey Zappe. While Belichick told reporters it was his plan all along to play both quarterbacks in Monday's game, several offensive players said they weren't aware of that plan until Zappe entered the game in the second quarter.
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers seemed particularly irked by how the situation unfolded, saying it was "tough as a man" to see Jones "get that kind of treatment" from the fans, who booed Jones following his interception and cheered when Zappe took over.
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On Tuesday, NFL Network's Mike Giardi shared some interesting comments from a Patriots player who suggested he and his teammates feel Jones is underappreciated internally.
"We don't care how they arrived at the decision; that's not up to us," the player texted Giardi (via Giardi's paraphrasing). "But we feel like Mac deserves a little bit more credit from the people around here based on what he did last year and based on the ownership he's taken this year."
Added Giardi: "I think in the locker room still -- they believe Mac Jones gives them the best chance to be the kind of team that they want to be."
Jones earned the support and appreciation of his teammates right off the bat last summer by beating out veteran Cam Newton for the starting QB job. He then guided the team to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth as a rookie while earning Pro Bowl honors. So, it's no surprise his teammates still believe in him, even after watching him throw five interceptions through three games prior to his ankle injury against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.
Jones looked very rusty against the Bears on Monday night, though, while Zappe led back-to-back touchdown drives in Jones' stead before fizzling out in the second half en route to a 33-14 loss.
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So, who should be the Patriots' starting quarterback going forward? It sounds like many players are firmly in Jones' camp and may even believe the coaching staff did Jones a disservice by replacing him with Zappe on Monday night.
Of course, Belichick could clear up this whole controversy by definitively naming a starting QB for Week 8 against the New York Jets. But it won't shock you to learn he did no such thing Tuesday morning.