Patriots’ Bill Belichick Offers Tepid Endorsement of QB Mac Jones

It sounds like the quarterback will need to play well on Saturday vs. the Bengals in order to confidently keep his starting role.

It’s been a tumultuous year for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.

New England currently sits on the edge of the playoff picture after being knocked down to “in the hunt” after Sunday’s gut wrenching, last-second 30–24 loss to the Raiders. 

When coach Bill Belichick was asked if he expects to keep Jones as the starter for the remainder of the season, he didn’t really answer the question directly. While it is presumed that Jones will be the starter vs. the Bengals on Saturday, it could still be up in the air until Belichick officially names the starter.

“Yeah, the plan is to try and beat Cincinnati,” Belichick said when asked if Jones will start for the rest of the season.

It sounds like Jones will need to play well on Saturday in order to remain in his starting role and boost Belichick’s confidence in him.

During Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, Jones posted his worst quarterback rating of the season with a 52.1 after he completed just 13-of-31 passes for 112 yards and zero touchdowns.

If Belichick decides to bench Jones at any point for the rest of the season, backup Bailey Zappe will likely be named the starter in his place. 

Zappe started in two games during Jones’s absence when he suffered a high-ankle sprain. He appeared in two other games this season, totaling 65-of-92 pass attempts for 781 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.